English
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinayari Vijayan has sought to lay the blame for the Sabarimala situation right at the RSS’ door by saying, “The RSS is trying to create a law and order situation in the state taking advantage of this verdict. The government is bound to implement the Supreme Court verdict (on allowing the entry of women of all age groups inside the temple),” Vijayan said on Monday. (Also read: Kerala Gears up For Implementing SC Verdict)
The CM said, “The government will implement the Supreme Court verdict on the entry of women in Sabarimala temple. Filing a review petition is against the stand. It is the responsibility of the government to implement the verdict of the SC. It is not the policy of the government to fight with believers. Their interest will be protected. The government is ready for a discussion.”
The Opposition and the RSS have blamed the LDF government for rushing forward to implement the SC order. On his part, Vijayan has insisted that the interests of believers would be protected and that his government was willing to hold talks, an offer that the chief priest of Sabarimala temple rejected. Even the royal family of Pandalam Palace chose to stay away from the meeting.
News18 quoted the CM as saying that political parties should be supporting such progressive steps. He pointed out that earlier menstruating women were not allowed to enter their own kitchen as they were considered impure. “But over the years, these things have changed. In different sections of society, there has always been a revolt against such wrong traditions,” the portal quoted him as saying.
He said that the BJP, which was protesting against the verdict, had implemented the Bombay High Court’s 2016 verdict that allowed women entry into the Shani Shingnapur temple in Maharashtra. “The BJP government or party workers did not show any protest in Haji Ali Dargah where women were allowed entry by the SC. In Maharashtra, women can enter places of worship but in Kerala they cannot. This shows their double standard,” the portal quoted the CM as saying.
Protests against the Supreme Court verdict have been reported from Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai as well.
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