The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has asked stakeholders upset with the recent Supreme Court judgement on the entry of women of menarche age into the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala to ponder future options of conveying their feelings to the authorities, including judicial options.
Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi, second-in-command in the RSS, said in a statement that, “While the Supreme Court judgment should be respected, the RSS calls upon all the stakeholders, including spiritual and community leaders, to come together and analyse and address the issue, availing judicial options also. They must convey their concerns... to the authorities in a peaceful manner.”
The statement came as a response to protests by groups opposing the Supreme Court judgement and the Kerala government’s staunch refusal to consider a review petition.
“It is an issue of a local temple tradition and faith to which sentiments of millions of devotees, including women, are attached. These sentiments of the devotees cannot be ignored while considering the judgment,” said Mr. Joshi.
Criticises Kerala govt.
He criticised the Kerala government for what he termed its haste in implementing the judgment, “without taking the sentiments of the devotees into consideration.”
“There is an obvious reaction to the same by the devotees, especially women, who are protesting against the forceful break of the tradition,” he said.
The RSS’ stand, sources say, comes after it was significantly pressurised by local Hindu groups in the State, and the Kerala wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).