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Published 17:57 IST, January 2nd 2019

BJP MP Udit Raj welcomes women's entry in Sabarimala temple

BJP MP Udit Raj has mentioned that there should be no disparity between the two genders, and that no one should stop women from entering the Sabarimala temple

Reported by: Narayan R
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BJP MP Udit Raj welcomes women's entry in Sabarimala temple
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While the BJP has been very clear about their stand against allowing women entry into the Sabarimala temple, its party MP Udit Raj, in his personal capacity, has mentioned that there should be no disparity between the two genders. Taking to Twitter on the day when two women managed to offer their worship in the temple, Udit Raj stated that no women should be barred from visiting Lord Ayyappa.

"In my personal capacity & chairman of Parisangh I support the entry of women in Ayyappa temple. How woman can be impure when man is born from her.God is omnipresent means he is out of temple too. In the eyes of constitution both genders are equal," his message read.

On the wee hours of Wednesday, history was created when two women under the age of 50 went inside the Sabarimala temple and offered their prayers to Lord Ayyappa. Along with some police officers, the two women managed to make it inside the shrine of the Lord Ayyappa's temple through the staff gate at around 3:45 am.

It was followed by a series of protests and violence, which overshadowed what was a gender equality defining moment. The devotees of Lord Ayyappa, campaigners of 'Save Sabarimala' openly protested against the state government for supporting and helping the two women to visit the temple. 

READ: MASSIVE: Two Women Claim To Have Entered The Sabarimala Sanctorum

Sensing threat to the women who managed to create history, the state government provided took them to an undisclosed place as part of the security, and even provided protection at their residences. The protests though, turned violent, with the police resorting to lathi-charge in order to get the situation under control.

This was for the first time that any women under the age of 50 managed to enter the temple premises since the Supreme Court's ruling in September, wherein the apex court ordered that women of all ages can enter the Sabarimala temple.

17:18 IST, January 2nd 2019