Sabarimala row: Law is helpless as faith asserts itself

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Sabarimala: The protest against the Supreme Court verdict, which lifted centuries-old ban on menstruating women from entering the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple, took a violent turn on Wednesday, marked by sporadic clashes between the police and the protestors.

In fact, the major base camp at Nilackal, about 20 km from the hill shrine, turned a battle ground on the first day of the opening of the temple with police caning the protestors after they started attacking media people, especially women journalists.  They alleged that some television channels were showing the ongoing agitation in a bad light. At least three women journalists were attacked and their vehicles stoned by the protestors. They were targeted following rumours that some women devotees were trying to go to the temple in the guise of journalists.

Trouble erupted after rumours spread that some young women had entered the temple with the help of police. Two women, who tried to go to the temple, were stopped by the protestors. While a 45-year-old woman from Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh returned after the protestors heckled her, another from Cherthala in Alappuzha district was stopped at Pathanamthitta bus stand. Madhavi, who came along with her six-member family, said that she had come to Pampa believing that the police will provide her protection. She told the Free Press Journal that a few policemen, who escorted her up to Swami Ayyappan Road at Sabarimala, beat a retreat after the protestors forced her to go back.

Libi, the woman from Cherthala, was stopped while she was boarding a bus to Sabarimala. The police rescued her and took into custody 50 persons who stopped her. There were rumours that the police will take her to the temple. Following this, the protestors kept a vigil at Pampa. Pampa became tense after the police took into custody 20 members of the Ayyappa Dharama Sena, including its president and grandson of late high priest Kandararu Maheswararu, Rahul Easwar, and his grandmother, who were peacefully protesting on the foot of the hilltop.

At least, 20 protestors were arrested in connection with the violence at Nilackal. Over 25 vehicles, including many state-run Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses, were also damaged in stone-pelting. The big board at the base camp Pampa carrying the warning that women devotees in the 10-50 age group will be prohibited was partly covered by the TDB but angry protestors later reinstalled the board.

Temple affairs minister Kadakampally Surendran who is camping at the hill shrine blamed the Sangh Parivar outfits for the violence. He said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had attacked media persons to create a law and order problem at Sabarimala. “No true Ayyappa devotee will indulge in violence. The RSS men have unleashed the violence to further their political agenda and are trying to put the blame on the Ayyappa devotees. I appeal to them not to use Sabarimala to implement their agenda” he said. Ayyappa Seva Sangham secretary Mohanan Nair said that the trouble started after outside forces infiltrated into the devotee groups, who were conducting the protests peacefully. He pointed out there was no trouble at Nilackal when they had staged the protests peacefully for the last one week.

The Sabarimala Samrakshana Samity, an umbrella organization of many outfits, has called a 24-hour state-wide hartal on Thursday to protest against the police action. State police chief Loknath Behra said no one will be allowed to take law into their hands and strict action will be taken against trouble makers. A worried district administration has declared Section 144 in four areas, including two bases camps, to avoid re-grouping of protestors. “We were keeping utmost restraint.  The police were forced to intervene when some protestors started attacking media men,” said district collector P B Nooh. However, he said the ongoing pilgrimage won’t be affected.