Amid Sabarimala Protests\, Devotees Check Cars\, Ask Women To Go Back

Sabarimala Protests Live Updates: Amid Sabarimala Protests, Devotees Check Cars, Ask Women To Go Back

The Travancore Devaswom Board, a temple body, is expected to hold a meeting with various stakeholders including the Pandalam royal family and Ayyappa devotees.

Kerala | Posted by | Updated: October 16, 2018 20:41 IST
Sabarimala Protests Live Updates: Amid Sabarimala Protests, Devotees Check Cars, Ask Women To Go Back

Protesters held a massive 'Save Sabarimala' protest march at the Kerala Secretariat yesterday. (File)

New Delhi: 

A little over 24 hours to go before the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala is scheduled to be open to women of all age groups for the first time after the Supreme Court's historic ruling last month that permitted the entry. The verdict however received mixed reactions with several thousand people, mostly women, taking to the streets to hold protests against the verdict. Several political parties, religious bodies and groups close to the temple board joined the protests launching a 'Save Sabarimala' campaign. The protesters along with several members of the BJP held a massive protest march yesterday at the Kerala Secretariat in Tiruvananthapuram. The Travancore Devaswom Board, a temple body, is expected to hold a meeting with various stakeholders including the Pandalam royal family and Ayyappa devotees. 

Addressing a press briefing, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured that government will not submit a review petition and that they will ensure facilities to allow all devotees to go to Sabarimala shrine tomorrow. Devotees had stopped buses and cars to check for women travelling to the shrine demanding them to go back.

Here are the updates of the Sabarimala protests:


Oct 16, 2018
20:41 (IST)
Kerala has been witnessing a series of protests by the state units of Congress and the BJP as well as Hindu outfits against the verdict and the Left-led government's "hasty" move to implement the order. Some of the groups have demanded that the Kerala government come out with an ordinance to stop the entry of women to the shrine.
Oct 16, 2018
20:09 (IST)
The Kerala state government, led by the Communist Party of India, has said it will not give in to attempts by Hindu groups to prevent women from entering that temple. "We will not allow anyone to take law and order into their hands," Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters.
A release by his office said the government would deploy sufficient police, including female officers, to uphold the Supreme Court's decision.
Oct 16, 2018
19:24 (IST)
After the top court verdict had opened Sabarimala to women, many had strongly opposed it. Addressing the protesters in Kollam on Friday, Malayalam actor Kollam Thulash had allegedly said, "Women in the restricted age group who visit the Lord Ayappa Temple should be ripped apart."
Oct 16, 2018
18:28 (IST)
Congress-led UDF members stage a protest against Supreme Court's Sabarimala verdict, at Erumely in Kottayam
Oct 16, 2018
17:25 (IST)
The temple nestled in the mountain ranges of the Western Ghats opens tomorrow for the first time since the top court verdict. The doors will be closed on October 22 after the five-day monthly puja during the Malayalam month of Thulam.
Oct 16, 2018
16:46 (IST)
Lok Sabha lawmaker Anto Antony, who represents Pathanamthitta constituency under which the
Sabarimala hill shrine comes, urged the Centre to issue an ordinance to get around the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women in all age groups in the holy temple.
Oct 16, 2018
16:27 (IST)
Oct 16, 2018
16:26 (IST)
Local television channels reported that some college students and even women reporters were stopped at the base camp. The police are trying to maintain peace in the holy region. A 32-year-old woman from Kannur claimed she was shamed and abused on social media after she announced her decision to offer prayers at the shrine.
Oct 16, 2018
15:58 (IST)
Protesters Check Vehicles For Women Day Before Sabarimala Temple Opening. Read here
Oct 16, 2018
15:35 (IST)
A woman attempted to hang herself from a tree in Thiruvananthapuram in protest against the Supreme Court's verdict over the entry of women of all age group in Sabarimala Temple. She was saved by the locals
Oct 16, 2018
15:33 (IST)
BJP's state president PS Sreedharan Pillai had warned of a bigger agitation if the government failed to resolve the issue in the next 24 hours.
"We will meet each villager in Kerala and chalk out a massive agitation plan to protect the Sabarimala Temple, its centuries-old traditions and the sentiments of Lord Ayyappa devotees," Mr Pillai said.
Oct 16, 2018
13:29 (IST)
Devotees block cars and buses to check for women travelling to Sabarimala. Few women were also asked to get off the bus and go back near Nilakkal in Sabarimala ahead of it's scheduled opening for women of all ages for the first time tomorrow. 
Oct 16, 2018
12:27 (IST)
Oct 16, 2018
11:28 (IST)
Oct 16, 2018
11:22 (IST)
Kerala Chief Minister on Sabarimala opening tomorrow:
  • "We will not allow any one to take law and order in their hands. The government will ensure facilities to devotees to go to Sabarimala Temple and offer prayers. Government will not submit a review petition. We've said in court that we'll implement the order," says news agency ANI quoting Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. 
  • The Chief Minister also said that the government will not allow any violence in the name of Sabarimala
  • The government will not stop to check cars or stop people and that it will ensure the safety and the security of all devotees. 
Oct 16, 2018
10:42 (IST)
Pilgrims arrive at the Shabarimala temple's Pampa river ahead of it's scheduled opening tomorrow. The temple, for the first time, will allow the entry of women of all age groups into the Lord Ayyappa shrine. 
Oct 16, 2018
10:18 (IST)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan calls for a press briefing shortly. 
Oct 16, 2018
10:09 (IST)
The opposition Congress, BJP and various Hindu outfits have launched protests, demanding that the state government to file a review petition against the September 28 top court order.
Four review petitions have been filed against the Sabarimala judgement, but the Supreme Court had said there will be no urgent hearing. "It will be listed in due course," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi had said.
Oct 16, 2018
10:09 (IST)
Devotees, mostly women, take part in the 'namajapa' (chanting the name of Lord Ayyappa) march against the Supreme Court verdict on the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple, in Ernakulam on Saturday
Oct 16, 2018
10:08 (IST)
The Lord Ayyappa temple has traditionally barred all women of menstruating age. The temple's rule followed the belief that menstruating women are "impure".
The custom in the temple was challenged by a clutch of petitioners who argued that women cannot be denied the constitutional right to worship.
Oct 16, 2018
09:59 (IST)
Heavy security has been deployed for the opening. So far, no special arrangements have been made for women devotees, the board's president A Padmakumar said.
Oct 16, 2018
09:57 (IST)
The state has been witnessing a series of protests by the state units of Congress and the BJP as well as Hindu outfits against the verdict and the Left-led government's "hasty" move to implement the order. Some of the groups have demanded that the Kerala government come out with an ordinance to stop the entry of women to the shrine.
Oct 16, 2018
09:57 (IST)
The Travancore Devaswom Board, which runs the hill-shrine, will meet the patrons, including the Tantri (head priest) family, Pandalam royals and Ayyappa Seva Sangam later in the day to discuss the preparations ahead of the three-month-long annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season starting November 17.
Oct 16, 2018
09:56 (IST)
After weeks of protests, a massive protest march reached the state capital's secretariat yesterday with BJP party workers and Lord Ayyappa devotees joining the 'Save Sabarimla' campaign. 
No more content
Comments