Women protesters on Tuesday stopped all-Pampa bound vehicles at Nilackal, the entry point to the hill shrine of Sabarimala, as protests against the Supreme Court verdict, permitting entry of women between the ages of 10 and 50, focused on the temple itself.
Tension continued on Tuesday morning at Nilackal, which has been the venue of an indefinite protest for the last one week. The prayers or Namajapa Yagnam, have been held under the banner of the Sabarimala Protection Council and Sabarimala Aachara Samrakshana Samiti.
Tensions rose during the day when talks between the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and representatives of institutions linked to the Sabarimala temple failed to arrive at a compromise formula that would facilitate a smooth pilgrim season.
At Nilackal, the vehicle blockade continued well into the evening, with women devotees — many from the local tribal communities — screening all vehicles to ensure that they did not carry young women, before allowing them to proceed beyond Nilackal. The announcement of a few women activists planning to visit the hill temple apparently prompted the intensive screening of vehicles.
Following the vehicle blockade, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan warned that no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands. He reiterated the government’s resolve to implement the Supreme Court verdict and provide all protection to devotees. Mr Vijayan also ruled out the question of the government going in for a review petition or bringing in any kind of legislation.
During the checks, three girls were forced out of a KSRTC bus by the women devotees. Later in the evening, a 40-year old woman, Panchavarnom, from Chennai who reached Nilackal, along with her husband in a KSRTC bus was also prevented from proceeding to Pamba by the tribal woman protesters. Ms Panchavarnom said she and her husband used to go up to Pampa every month. The police later sent her back to Pathanamthitta.
Another batch of protesters, under the banner of the Sabarimala Achara Samrakshana Samiti, took out a motorcycle rally from Pandalam to Nilackal in the forenoon in support of their cause.
The prayer protests are likely to become intense when the temple shrine opens for its monthly pooja on Wednesday evening, on the eve of the first day of the Malayalam month of Thulam.
The State police has decided to declare Sabarimala a security zone under Section 53 of the Police act. A strong contingent of police force, including women constables, have been deployed at Nilackal.
The Additional Director-General of Police, Anil Kant, and the District Police chief, T. Narayanan, are camping at Nilackal.
The Devaswom Minister, Kadakampally Surendran is expected in Sabarimala to review the arrangements for the annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season that begins on November 18. The draw of lots for the selection of the head priest of Sabarimala for the next one year will be held on Thursday.