Visit not part of any agenda: Women after Sabarimala entry

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bindu and Kanakadurga, the two women in their 40s who created history by defying threats from saffron organisations and offering prayers at Sabarimala temple, on Thursday said they were not tools of anyone and dismissed as “baseless” the allegations that they were playing into the hands of police and the government.

They also said their aim was Sabarimala darshan and they achieved it without facing any trouble from the devotees. “All the pilgrims going to Sabarimala were very cooperative. We never had any problem from other devotees. We trekked down safely from the shrine,” Kanakadurga said.

The shrine, which was out of bounds for girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age, on Wednesday saw the breaking of tradition when the 42-year-old Bindu and 44-yearold Kanakadurga visited it.

In an interview, Kanakadurga said, “Going to Sabarimala was my own decision.” “We don’t know whether the CM had a role in our reaching the shrine,” they said.

“We are like-minded people. That’s why we have come together to trek the temple. Police or political party agenda is baseless,” Kanakadurga said. When asked whether they were devotees or activists, she said an activist can also be a devotee. “Activists are also devotees. If some activist wants to visit a temple, they can,” she said.