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Published 09:38 IST, November 26th 2019

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

Women rights activist Trupti Desai said that she will visit Sabarimala temple as it's her Constitutional right; Desai will be accompanied by several other women

Reported by: Varsha Chavan
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Women rights activist Trupti Desai on Tuesday said that she will visit Sabarimala temple as it is her Constitutional right. Desai will be accompanied by several other women during her visit. Desai and a few other activists who landed at the Kochi International Airport early Tuesday have been taken to Kochi city police commissioner.

Speaking to the media Desai said, "Today is the Constitution Day and on this day, we will go to Sabarimala temple as it is our right. 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."

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"No one can stop us whether it is local police or government because if they stop us then it is a contempt of court. Even if they want to stop us then they should give that in writing to us that we cannot go inside the shrine," she said.

She said that they preferred November 26 to visit the shrine as it was the Constitution Day. She said that she has come up with the 2018 order of the Supreme Court permitting entry of women of all age groups into the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. The activist said, "They ask to us bring the court's order if you want to enter the shrine, well I say to them to show us the order that says we are not allowed to enter the temple. This is an attempt to diminish the voice of women, we have come from different states and we will not go back till we enter the Sabarimala temple."

On being asked if she had asked for her security and protection from the government, Desai said, "I have written to Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Kerala Chief Minister and the DGP here demanding security. Whether we get that or not we will visit the temple today."

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SC's verdict on Sabarimala

The State government has made it clear that there is a "defacto" stay and cannot allow women until there is some legal clarity on the recent Sabarimala verdict. Minister for Devasom board has already informed that they will not allow any women activist to Sabarimala is not a place to prove someone's activism.

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. 

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(With agencies input)

09:01 IST, November 26th 2019