Cultural activists of Kozhikode have come out in support of the Supreme Court judgment, permitting entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala temple.
Activists, including historian M.G.S. Narayanan, writers K. Satchidanandan, B. Rajeevan, Sara Joseph, M.N. Karassery, Sunil P. Elayidom, Kureeppuzha Sreekumar, Khadeeja Mumtaz, Kalpetta Narayanan, S. Hareesh, V.R. Sudheesh, Veeran Kutty, N.P. Hafiz Mohammed, women’s rights activist K. Ajitha, film-makers Venkatesh Ramakrishnan, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and Manoj Kana, in a press release hailed the judgment as a milestone in the renaissance of Kerala. It stated that the judgment would speed up the fight against injustices related to religion and worship as well as gender bias. The activists have termed the recent protests against the judgment as attempts for communal polarisation and creating a religion-based vote bank.
“Society progressed through timely correction of anti-human situations. All rights violations were protected in the name of religion at that time. But the suppressed people often came together to fight for their rights,” the press release said pointing out how the temple entry proclamation came into being and the cultural background that necessitated it.
“Basic rights of women, which were denied to her, should be reinstated. The Supreme Court judgment is a corrective measure for the sake of democracy. That democratic institutions are protesting against it is unfortunate,” the release said.