Sabarimala: Law Minister says Kerala govt will not provide police protection to anyone

Kerala Law Minister A K Balan, on Tuesday, said that the state will not provide police protection to anybody, including women to enter Sabarimala. The statement came after Durga Ammini, who was among the first two women to enter the Sabarimala temple in January this year, was allegedly attacked with chilli pepper spray outside Ernakulam city police commissioner's office early on Tuesday morning.

"The violation of human rights cannot be accepted. Nobody will be allowed to visit Sabarimala with police protection," Balan said The minister also said that he is unable to understand the intentions of the activist Trupti Desai and that the government will examine a conspiracy angle. "I cannot understand the intentions of women rights activist Trupti Desai. We won't accept the attempt to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in Sabarimala. The government will take stern action and it will also examine if any conspiracy has occurred," said Balan.

READ | Abhishek Singhvi: Sentiment of people associated with Sabarimala must be respected

Adding to the information about the incident, he further said that the 2018 Supreme Court verdict regarding the Sabarimala Temple issue, was 'clear' but now the case has been reopened. "The case has been referred to a seven-member bench to make clarity in matters related to religion and custom. There is an ambiguity in the verdict," said Balan. Earlier on Tuesday, Trupti Desai, who is a gender activist, said that she will visit Sabarimala Temple as it is her Constitutional right.

Speaking to ANI, Desai said: "Today is the Constitution Day and on this day, we will go to Sabarimala temple as it is our right." Accompanied by several other women, she added, "The rights under the Constitution allow us to pray to God and the right to equality, which is somewhere taken away from us despite the Supreme Court's order that there is no stay on women's entry in Sabarimala temple. So we will go inside the temple today."

READ | Trupti Desai: 'Will visit Sabarimala Temple as it is our Constitutional right'

Suspected conspiracy

Soon after Desai made the announcement,  Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said that he suspected conspiracy by a group led by Desai to disrupt peace at Sabarimala. "I suspect that there is a conspiracy by a group led by Trupti Desai to disrupt peace at Sabarimala. Her coming here and the attack on activist Bindu Ammini were all part of a pre-planned agenda. The government will not allow this to happen," Surendran told media.

READ | Police decline protection to activist for Sabarimala visit

Surendran also said that he believes that the visit of Desai and the attack on Ammini were all part of a pre-planned 'agenda'. Meanwhile, members of Sabarimala Karma Samithi staged a protest outside the Ernakulam city police commissioner's office where Desai has been waiting since morning en route for Sabrimala. She has reportedly been asked by the police to return to Pune at the earliest and she is likely to fly back to Pune tonight.

READ | Watch: SC orders Kerala govt to formulate new law on Sabarimala temple

For the uninitiated, the Supreme Court had lifted a traditional ban on entry of women of menstrual age (10-50 years) on September 28 last year. Despite the apex court's ruling, a string of protests took place at the Sabarimala temple and its surrounding areas in the state, when several women attempted to visit the shrine but were stopped by Lord Ayyappa devotees.

(With ANI Inputs)