Hope Lord Ayyappa will get justice: Sabarimala Council

All India Sabarimala Action Council (AISAC) welcomed on Monday Supreme Court's decision to constitute a nine-judge Constitution bench and hear issue of allowing women and girls of all s into Ayyappa temple in Kerala's Sabarimala from January 13.

"We are hopeful that traditions of temple that prevented entry of women of menstruating (10-50 years) will be protected and presiding deity, Ayyappa, will get justice," council general secretary S J R Kumar told PTI over phone.

council is one of petitioners before apex court.

Considering certain recent judgments of top court on religious issues, including Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, "we are really hopeful that thousands of years old traditions, customs, rituals of Ayyappa temple and faith of devotees will be upheld and protected", Kumar said.

To coincide with "Makara Jyoti" festival, (where it is believed that god appears to devotees in form of light) on January 15 at temple, council had planned to light lamps throughout Kerala, he added.

Kumar, who is also a former president of Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) Kerala unit, said though re were 3,000 Ayyappa temples in country, "re is only one Sabarimala for Ayyappa".

A five-judge Constitution bench of Supreme Court, by a 4:1 majority verdict delivered on September 28, 2018, had allowed women and girls of all s to visit temple, saying discrimination on physiological grounds was violative of fundamental rights such as right to equality.

On vember 14, 2019, apex court said a larger bench will re-examine various religious issues, including entry of women into Sabarimala temple.

According to a temple custom and belief, girls and women of menstruating (10-50 years) are t allowed as lord is a celibate yogi and is under meditation. PTI JBL RC