The Sabarimala Temple Protests: Women Blocked Due to Protests
On 24th December 2018, two women below the age of 50 years started their trekking towards the famous shrine of the Sabarimala temple. They were just a kilometer away from the holy shrine when the protestors came on to their way and they had to be escorted by the police team. Many protestors are standing on the way of these two women preventing them from reaching the temple but they are very adamant to reach and one of the two women called Bindu have stated that they would not turn back even if they are attacked. The Kerala Police has however asked for more force from the base camp in order to tackle the situation. Some protesters have also gathered in front of the house of the two women and are shouting slogans.
This is not the first time that such an incident has happened. On Saturday, 22nd December a group of 11 women faced the same protest when they tried to reach the Sabarimala Temple and yet again the police team has to come to their rescue. The women however accused that the police has evicted them from Pamba which is a base camp located 5 km below the main temple, however, the police denied the accusations and said that the women returned on their own after seeing so many protestors.
It has been about three months since Supreme Court has given permission to women of all ages to go the temple and around 40 women are expected to go to the temple and offer puja to Lord Ayappa during the Makarshankranti on 30th December. But the protestors present there are blocking the ways of all women below the age of 50 years and this is leading to a huge clash between them and the police team on a daily basis. The women are still unable to reach to the holy shrine due to this mass protest. Currently, Bindu and Durga who were trying to reach the temple have faced a huge amount of protests and the police teams are trying to protect them from the situation. They said that they will visit the temple anyhow as the Supreme Court has permitted them to do that and the police would be responsible for their security.