Sabarimala temple entry row: Kerala HC refuses to grant police protection to 4 women who wanted to enter shrine

The Kerala High Court on Monday refused police protection to four women devotees who wanted to enter the Sabarimala temple. The court also criticised the police action at the Lord Ayyappa shrine which took place from 19 to 22 October when the temple gates were opened. The court said that the police actions were against the ethos of a civilised society. [caption id=“attachment_5026791” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sabarimala shrine in Kerala. Image courtesy ayyappaseva.org[/caption] The court also recorded the state’s assurance on protection to devotees as the temple gears up to throw open its gates again in November.  The temple will open briefly on 5 November evening for the next day’s ‘Chithira Attavisesham’ to celebrate the birth anniversary of Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last king of Travancore. And on 17 November, it will open for the three-month-long Mandalam Makaravilakku celebrations when lakhs of devotees from the country and abroad will visit the shrine. Meanwhile, hearing another plea by BJP leader TG Mohandas seeking a ban on the entry of non-Hindus in the temple, the court expressed dissatisfaction and told him that his application is of the nature to disrupt the secular nature of the state. In his petition, Mohandas had sought a directive to enforce Rule 3(a) under the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Act, 1965, bars non-Hindus from entering temples. He also sought an independent investigation into the police action allowing non-Hindu women and non-idol worshippers into the Ayyappa temple, The Times of India reported. The high court has postponed considering the case for two weeks and has asked the government and the Devaswom board to submit a report, ANI reported.