Sabarimala Temple LIVE Updates: Devaswom Board to Submit Report in SC, No Decision on Review Petition

Situation at Pamba remained tense on Friday as police detained devotees protesting against the entry of women from all age groups into the Sabarimala shrine. 

#Kerala: Police in Pamba detain Lord Ayyapaa devotees protesting against entry of women of all ages in #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/0ySJjh1nmr

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

Former Attorney General of India Soli Sorabjee urged the state of Kerala to take strict action against the so-called devotees for trying to stop the women pilgrims from entering the temple.

Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde said in a tweet that the SC ruling has pushed “non-believers, paid activists, anti-Hindus & anarchists to play with Hindu religious beliefs and sentiments".  

The #SupremeCourt ruling has pushed non-believers, paid activists, anti-Hindus & anarchists to play with #Hindu religious beliefs and sentiments; thus spoiling the social harmony and creating hatredness among the communities.#SabarimalaProtests

— Anantkumar Hegde (@AnantkumarH) October 19, 2018

TDB President: We Do Not Want Sabarimala to Become a Protest Site | TDB president A Padmakumar says that they do not want Sabarimala to become a protest site. “We want peace. We do not want the Sabarimala to become a protest site.” The Devaswom president added that the board did not wish to politicise the issue. 

Congress, BJP Attack Kerala Govt for Bringing Activists to Sabarimala | The opposition Congress and BJP have meanwhile flayed the the Left government in Kerala for allegedly extending support to bring women activists to Sabarimala temple, hurting the sentiments of devotees, PTI reported. They further alleged that the police gave one of the women, who climbed to the hill shrine amid heavy security, their official uniform and helmet. The two women, identified as a journalist from Hyderabad and a Kochi-based activist, trekked Sabarimala and reached a few metres away from the holy 18 steps with police escort but had to return due to massive protest by devotees.

As the women neared the shrine, devotees at the temple blocked the entry gate in defiance of the Supreme Court verdict which had allowed women of all ages to enter and pray there.

CPI (M)’s Kodiyeri Balakrishnan blamed the BJP for “causing hindrance” to the arrangements that were made by the state government following the SC verdict allowing the entry of women from all age groups into the Sabarimala temple. He added that the Congress was in favour of the entry of women of all age groups but now even they are protesting against it.

Following Supreme Court verdict, a lot of arrangements had to be put in place but the BJP is causing hindrance in putting those arrangements in place: Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPI(M) #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/17R8RUplix

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

SC Judgment Should be Implemented in Letter and Spirit: Soli Sorabjee | Former attorney-general Soli Sorabjee, while speaking to News18, says that the SC judgment on Sabarimala  should be implemented in letter and spirit. “Temple is open for all and the state should take strict action against so-called devotees for blocking the police from doing their duty. Otherwise this will give a bad name to India all over”.

'An abode of Lord Ayyappa, not sex tourism':

This is agenda driven. Police is also involved in it...This is not a place for sex tourism. This is the abode of lord Ayappa: Prayar Gopalakrishnan, former Travancore Devaswom Board President #SabarimalaTemple #Kerala pic.twitter.com/XiAJgRtRFf

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

Yechury on Sabarimala | CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has said, "The pattern in which the protests are happening over the entry of women in the Sabarimala temple is similar to that of the pattern of Babri Masjid demolition of 1992." 

As the women neared the shrine, devotees at the temple blocked the entry gate in defiance of the Supreme Court verdict which had allowed women of all ages to enter and pray there.

Leader of Opposition's sharp attack on the Kerala police:

Sabarimala is not a tourist spot, only devotees go there. Right now what Kerala police is doing is wrong. Had there been our govt we would've handled the situation better. We would've talked to devotees, there would've been no violence: R Chennithala, Congress #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/IT9wdDfdvA

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

Another Woman Devotee's House Attacked | Protests erupt outside the house of 46-year-old woman devotee in Thiruvananthapuram. The woman had condemned the agitation against the entry of menstruating women from entering Sabarimala temple after deciding to retreat herself. This comes hours after another woman devotee's house in Kochi was vandalised by protesters for attempting to break the age-old tradition around women's entry.

As 46-year-old Mary decided to return and not complete her attempt to enter the Sabarimala temple, she said, "It is sad that this is happening in Kerala. There are so many people who go abroad from Kerala, so many who live in progressive countries but look at what is happening in our state. It is the duty of the state govt, police and media to help women who want to go to Sabarimala."

Another Menstruating Woman on Her Quest to Enter Sabarimala | As the two women (a journalist and a devotee) who were at the edge of creating history by stepping foot in the Sabarimala temple, decided to retreat, A 46-year-old woman is on her way to the holy shrine. With complete police protection, she is currently being taken to a police control room in Pamba.

"There have been so many Supreme Court orders that have still not been implemented. There have been instances where govt asked for more time. But this govt wants violence that's why they jumped into this": Ramesh Chennithala

Opposition Wants Action Against Kerala Police for Disrupting Temple Rituals | Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala has launched a scathing attack on the Kerala police. He said, "What is happening is very unfortunate. Priests having to stop their rituals to protest is unfortunate. Are these actually believers who are being escorted by police? A case should be filed against IG Sreejith. He has violated rules and laws."

"We were helpless. The head priest said that he will close the temple and that would have been a ritualistic disaster. we could have removed the protesters but the state government had ordered us not to. We will continue to provide security to devotees": Sreejith, Kerala IG

Sabarimala Head Priest, Kandararu Rajeevaru, has threatened to shut the temple if a single woman of menstruating age enters the shrine:

We have decided to lock the temple and handover the keys & leave. I stand with the devotees. I do not have any other option: Kandararu Rajeevaru, #SabarimalaTemple head priest #Kerala (file pic) pic.twitter.com/6LilPOx9qr

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

"I am happy with the arrangements that we got, but we have decided to come back," said the female journalist who trekked the hillock in order to break the age-old tradition by entering the inner santorium of the Sabarimala temple.

Women to Retreat | In the backdrop of threats made by the head priest of the Sabarimala temple to shut the doors of the shrine if any woman between the age of 10-50 enter, the female devotees, who were at the edge of creating history by stepping foot in the temple,  have decided to retreat. The women have decided to return to not cause hurdles in performing rituals.

In view of violent protests against the entry of menstruating women inside the precincts of the Sabarimala temple, IG S. Sreejith has put on his riot gear.

Head Priests Threatens to Shut Temple | Sabarimala Head Priest, Kandararu Rajeevaru, has threatened to shut the temple if a single woman of menstruating age enters the shrine. "If the women enter the temple we will stop all prayers and activities. We will be forced to shut the temple and I will walk out with the keys. The sentiments of the devotees can't be taken for granted. We are with the devotees." 

'Activists Should Not Come to Prove a Point' | Kerala Devaswom Board minister Kadakampally Surendran said that the holy shrine of Sabarimala is for the devotees of the revered Lord Ayyappa only and therefore, activists should not make the holy place of worship a platform to make a point. He further said that the Kerala government's duty is to give protection to true devotees wishing to visit the shrine.

To take stock of the situation, Kerala Governor K Sathasivam sought an update from Kerala police on the Sabarimala deadlock. Kerala DGP is scheduled to meet the Governor shortly.

The version of heads of religious denominations and faith of crores of devotees was not taken into account by the Supreme Court, said Bhagwat, nor was the plea by a large section of women, who follow this tradition, was heard.

Rahul Easwar was arrested on 17 October from Nilakkal base camp:

#Kerala: The hearing in the bail application matter of activist Rahul Easwar will take place tomorrow before Pathanamthitta Judicial first class Magistrate 1. He was arrested on 17 October from Nilakkal base camp. #SabarimalaTemple. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/W76HQLCJgf

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2018

Woman Devotee's House Attacked | The woman devotee who is on her quest to enter the Sabarimala temple, is a native of Kochi in Ernakulam district. Her Kochi residence was attacked by protestors on Friday early morning. Meanwhile, protesters continue to onstruct entry of women at the entrance of the Sabarimala temple.

Leader of opposition in Kerala Ramesh Chennithala said, "This is nothing but sensationalism. Why does a devotee have to be taken to a temple in riot gear? CPI and BJP have ulterior motives." Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K. Surendran also questioned the intentions of the Kerala government for giving unprecedented security to one devotee/journalist.

Meanwhile, the temple Tantri family and members of the Pandalam royal family are considering closing down of the Sabarimala temple in order to stop the women from entering, according to informed sources. The temple opened its doors on Wednesday for the first time since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that allowed women from the 10-50 age group to enter the famed shrine. On Thursday, there was a dawn-to-dusk shutdown across Kerala called by outfits owing loyalty to Hindu groups and the BJP.