Massive Protests erupted across Kerala on Wednesday after two women in the banned age group entered the Sabarimala temple before dawn, with the Sabarimala Karma Samithi (SMS) calling for a state-wide dawn-to-dusk 12-hour shutdown on Thursday. 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.
Bhartiya Janta Party is supporting the Statewide hartal while Congress-led UFD is observing a black day on Thursday.
#Kerala: Sabarimala Karma Samiti and BJP workers hold protest march in Pandalam over the issue of entry of women in #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/cKmwlrtGCf
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2019
While Congress MP K Suresh on speaking on the issue said as quoted by ANI, “We’re observing ‘black day’ in Kerala today. State govt is challenging the sentiments of devotees of #Sabarimala. With the sponsor of state govt, these two young women entered the temple. They are activists, they are maoists.
Congress MP K Suresh on #Sabarimala women entry issue: We're observing 'black day' in Kerala today. State govt is challenging the sentiments of devotees of #Sabarimala. With the sponsor of state govt, these two young women entered the temple. They are activists, they are maoists pic.twitter.com/jBtMp9wIBt
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2019
As per initial reports, auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers are plying at the railway station in the state capital and various other places. But in Kozhikode District, protesters blocked vehicles and burnt tyres in the morning. Reportedly, a Mediacameraperson attacked by BJP workers during a protest over #SabarimalaTemple issue.
Two women, Kanakadurga (44) and Bindu (42), created history by stepping into the hallowed precincts Shrine guarded by police three months after the Supreme Court’s historic judgement lifting the ban on entry of girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age into the shrine of Lord Ayyappa on Wednesday.
Reportedly, After which the temple was shut for an hour to conduct “purification rituals”.
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.
Kerela CM Pinarayi Vijayan in Trivandrum on Thursday said, “7 police vehicles, 79 KSRTC buses destroyed & 39 police personnel attacked, till now. Most of the persons attacked were women. Women media persons were also attacked”.
He added, ” It’s the government’s responsibility to give protection to women. The government has fulfilled this constitutional responsibility. Sangh Parivar is trying to make Sabarimala into a clash zone”
Kerala CM on #SabarimalaTemple issue: It's government's responsibility to give protection to women. The government has fulfilled this constitutional responsibility. Sangh Parivar is trying to make Sabarimala into a clash zone. pic.twitter.com/W5CaVQsnu7
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2019
Various universities, including Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi, Calicut, and Kannur have postponed their examinations scheduled for 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.