The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed urgent hearing of pleas seeking review of the judgment allowing women of all ages to enter Lord Ayyappa shrine in Kerala’s Sabarimala. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said the review petitions would not be heard in January as one of the judges, Justice Indu Malhotra, is on leave.
Reportedly, over 50 review petitions have been filed against the earlier decision of the apex court given on September 28 last year, which lifted the ban on the entry of women aged between 10 and 50 years into the premises of Sabarimala.
Kerela is on boil ever since the top Court allowed the entry of women aged between 10-50 years to visit the shrine. As many as 3505 protesters have been arrested so far in connection with the violence that broke out in the state, while around 529 cases have been registered across the state.
Kerela is witnessing uproar over the issue with Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organization of various pro-Hindutva groups, spearheading protests against the Supreme Court’s September 28 verdict called for the Hartal that began at 6 am on Thursday.
The Sabarimala issue has been boiling since the Supreme Court gave a verdict on September 28, hence revoking the ban on women of menstruating age to enter the Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala temple. Since then, the right-wing religious outfits backed by BJP have been protesting against the verdict. Congress also joined the saffron party in the issue.
Recently three women including a Sri Lankan reportedly entered the hilltop shrine. As the news spread like wildfire from the hill shrine, protests erupted at several places across Kerala, with Hindu right-wing activists blocking highways and forcing the closure of shops and markets. Amid growing protests, Sri Lankan women enter Sabarimala shrine
READ: Sabarimala Karma Samithi calls for Kerela Shutdown after 2 women enter the shrine