BSP spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria condemns RSS' take on Sabarimala

Bahujan Samajwadi Party's (BSP) national spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria on Friday slammed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for its statement on Sabarimala. He said that both women and men should have equal rights at all the religious spots. Adding that both women and men have should equal rights, the BSP leader said, "There will be appropriate laws so that women can enter Sabarimala. This is discrimination. Women should be allowed in temples, mosques, and churches."

"I think there is a stand that there is nothing about gender inequality. There are Dalit atrocities in India and minorities are subject to all kinds of discrimination. I think this double standard of RSS is well-known by the people of India," Sudhindhra Bhadoria stated while interacting with a news agency.

"RSS itself believes in Manuvad. They have been practising those feudal values till today," he said. The BSP national spokesperson also welcomed the top court's decision to refer the case of entry of women into Sabarimala to a larger bench. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had stated that restricting women from entering the temple has nothing to do with gender inequality or gender discrimination. In its statement, RSS also stated that matters relating to traditions and customs are issues of faith and belief. 

READ | RSS welcomes SC's decision to refer Sabarimala review pleas to larger bench

Sabarimala review verdict by SC

Pronouncing the verdict on the review petitions of Sabarimala, the Supreme Court on Thursday referred the case to a larger SC bench. While pronouncing the verdict, CJI Ranjan Gogoi said that the idea behind the review petitions was to revive the debate as to what is an integral part of a religion. CJI observed that all religious groups have a right to practice their religions freely. He said that the debate about the constitutional validity regarding the entry of women into places of religious worship is not limited to this case and said that it is also is seen in cases where women are not allowed to enter the Dargah. In light of no alternate verdict from the top court, the previous judgment by the top court allowing entry of women stays in place.

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(With inputs from ANI)