PETITION filed In SC Urging Review Of SC Judgement On Entry of All Women’s Entry To Sabarimala Temple

INDIA’s Supreme Court  has admitted  a  petition  seeking  review  of the  ruling  by the  Constitution Bench  lifting ban on entry of women of  all  ages  into the famed Sabarimala Temple in Kerala. The petition filed by Shylaja Vijayan, president of National Ayyappa Devotees’ Association, said the September 28 judgment which had allowed entry of women of all ages in the hill-top shrine is “absolutely untenable and irrational, if not perverse”. A five-judge constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, had in its 4:1 verdict, said that banning the entry of women into the shrine is gender discrimination and that the practice violates rights of Hindu women. Soon after the verdict, some groups started protesting. The agitation gained momentum after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan   made it clear that it would not go in for a review of the apex court verdict. The representatives of Sabarimala temple’s chief priest are avoiding meeting convened by the Kerala Chief Minister to discuss the court’s verdict amid mounting protest. Devotees of Lord Ayyappa protested in Chennai on Sunday demanding continuation of the age-old tradition of the temple. A rally ‘Ayyappa Nama Japa Yatra’ was also held on Sunday at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar where Lord Ayappa’s devotees protested against the top court ruling. Earlier, women of the menstrual age, between 10 to 50 years, were restricted from entering the temple premises. It is believed that the residing deity of the temple, Lord Ayyappa, is celibate. Both BJP and Congress activists  are  also protesting  against  the  SC judgement .(image courtesy to NDTV)