BJP women's wing joins protests against SC's Sabarimala verdict, but party's Kerala mouthpiece contradicts demands

The mouthpiece of the Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party Janmabhoomi Daily on Thursday contradicted demands by the party’s women’s wing, which has supported the protests against the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Sabarimala temple allowing the entry of women of all ages into the shrine. The BJP  mouthpiece stated that “increasing the number of women devotees in Sabarimala temple will increase its fame”, adding that “there is nothing in the verdict that adversely affects Hindu beliefs or dharma”. The newspaper also stated that “some people are trying create ambiguity among Hindus on the basis of this verdict”, reported CNN-News18.  [caption id=“attachment_5315921” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Image of devotees of Lord Ayappa protesting against Supreme Court’s verdict on Sabarimala Temple. Twitter/@RPJaiswal8[/caption] Earlier on Thursday, the BJP Mahila Morcha had joined the protests held by devotees of Lord Ayyappa outside the office of the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the functioning of the Sabarimala temple, in Thiruvananthapuram. The women held up posters that said the protests were being held against the Left government for “cheating devotees”, reported India Today TV. The women’s groups holding the protests have been demanding that women of all ages not be allowed in the Sabarimala temple, and that they are willing to wait till the age of 50 to visit Lord Ayyappa’s shrine. The protests came a day after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday declared that the state would not be filing a review petition against the Supreme Court’s verdict and would also ensure security measures for women to visit the temple. Hours after the Kerala chief minister’s declaration, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh issued a press release, urging all stakeholders, including spiritual and community leaders, to address the matter. On Tuesday, hundreds of Lord Ayyappa devotees, including women, blocked state and national highways in various parts of Kerala in protest against the Supreme Court’s 28 September verdict, permitting women of all ages to worship at the hill shrine at Sabarimala.