New Delhi: Kerala’s Left Democratic Front (LDF) government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it favours the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala temple, effectively changing the state’s position on the issue.
The Kerala government’s U-turn comes just months after it filed an additional affidavit in the Supreme Court in July, supporting the ban on women’s entry into the historic shrine.
“On being asked as to what is the stand of the state, senior advocate Gupta states that the state intends to place reliance on its original affidavit (2007) and not on additional affidavit…women of any age group should not be debarred from entry into the temple to worship the deity,” a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, R Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan said on Monday. The next hearing will take place on February 13 next year, the Supreme Court bench said.
The LDF in 2007 had been in favour of women’s entry into the temple, but the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) which took over from it took a contrary stance, citing temple tradition.
Senior advocate K K Venugopal, who represents the Travancore Devaswom Board (which manages the Sabarimala Temple) today told the bench that the state government couldn’t afford to alter its stand as per its convenience.
The Kerala government’s+ U-turn comes just days ahead of the start of the three-month-long ‘mandala pooja’ and ‘makaravilakku’ pilgrimage season at the Sabarimala temple on November 15.
Nearly four crore devotees throng the temple, dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, during the festival period.
The Supreme Court says may refer the issue to a constitution bench. The Supreme court on July 11 indicated that it may refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of the centuries-old practice of barring entry of women between 10 and 50 years of age in the Sabarimala temple.
The apex court observed that women are conferred rights under the Constitution and it would pass a detailed order in case the matter is referred to a five-judge constitution bench.
“A temple is a public religious place. You cannot refuse entry to a woman who comes there … It violates the rights of women. We understand the seriousness of issue. Every right needs to be balanced but every balancing has its own limitations…” the court remarked.
The apex court had earlier questioned the practice of barring entry of women to Sabarimala temple, saying it would test whether “faith and belief” could differentiate among persons of same denomination.
The management of the Sabarimala temple, located on a hilltop in the Western Ghats of Pathanamthitta district, had earlier told the court that the ban on entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years existed because they can’t maintain “purity” while menstruating.
(PTI)
