Thiruvananthapuram | Section 144 has been imposed in parts of Kerala after violence erupted near the Sabarimala Temple as protestors tried to stop women from entering the temple premise.
The local administration has imposed Section 144 which prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area has been imposed in Pampa, Nilakkal, Sannidhanam and Elavungal areas near the Sabarimala Temple.
Kerala: Section 144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Pampa, Nilakkal, Sannidhanam and Elavungal. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/T6hkklywoT
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018
Earlier on Wednesday morning, various protestors blocked female journalists and women devotees from entering the temple premises. The protesting crowds took control of the Nilakkal area and pelted stones at Police vehicles, including the KSRTC buses on way to Pamba. The women were forced to get out of there vehicles who were on their way to the shrines. To bring the situation under control the police lathi-charged and pelted stones at the protestors opposing women’s entry from age 10 to 50 in the Sabarimala Temple at the Nilakkal base camp in Kerala.
#WATCH: Police lathi-charge and pelt stones at the protesters gathered at Nilakkal base camp, in Kerala. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/DMC1ePz0l2
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018
Addressing the media on the violence, Kerala Minister EP Jayarajan said,” 10 KSRTC buses were damaged. Devotees from other states were beaten up & sent back. RSS-BJP is behind all of this. Supreme Court rule applies to all, the govt is just following & implementing it.” Jayarajan further blamed BJP’s political ideologue RSS for the violence at the Nilakkal base camp. He said, “RSS criminals hid in forests and attacked the Ayappa devotees. 10 media personnel, 5 devotees and 15 policemen were attacked.”
RSS criminals hid in forests and attacked the Ayappa devotees. 10 media personnel, 5 devotees and 15 policemen were attacked: Kerala minister EP Jayarajan on incidents of violence today #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/ohrFeiG9Pn
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2018
The Supreme Court on 28 September in a historic judgement allowed women from the age of 10 to 50 to enter in the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala. The five-judge constitutional bench headed by former Chief justice Deepak Misra in a 4:1 verdict allowed the entry of women of all age in the Sabarimala Temple. Delivering the Judgement the bench aid, “Right to worship is given to all devotees and there can be no discrimination on the basis of gender.” The bench further added that “The practice of barring women in age group of 10-50 to go inside the temple is violative of constitutional principles.”
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