Many Hail SC’s Sabarimala Temple Verdict, Some Pledge to Fight it

India hails SC’s landmark judgment allowing entry of women of all age at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Video Editor: Vivek Gupta

India on Friday, 28 September, hailed the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment which removed all restrictions imposed on the entry of women of menstruating age at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, Kerala.

‘Big Win for Women’

Devotees of Lord Ayyappa Swami and hard core Hindutva Bhakts were calling us anti-Hindus. We were getting death threats. We welcome the court’s decision. This is a big win for women, regressive thoughts are coming to an end today. Women are getting equal rights. We will soon declare a date when we will enter the temple in Sabarimala.

Trupti Desai, Activist

‘Why Discriminate in a Temple?’

Congress Leader Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed SC’s verdict batting for gender equality.

Women and Dalits should be allowed to enter temples everywhere. When across the world there is no discrimination between a man and a woman then why discriminate in a temple? We welcome this verdict.

Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader, Congress

‘Will Plan a Visit to Sabarimala’

One of the local women in Kerala, cheered the SC’s verdict, and promised to visit the temple soon.

I consider it as a historical revolution because nowadays women can go to space but she can’t enter the temple in Sabarimala. We are planning a session to go to Sabarimala with our collegiate.

Krustia, Supporter

Others Criticise SC’s Judgment

While the verdict brought smiles and cheers to people across the country, there were also others who criticised the judgment and pledged to ‘continue the fight’.

We will definitely go ahead with this fight because it affects the very core of temple belief and temple systems. Article 25 of the Constitution will be diluted. Every temple church and mosque will lose that right to self governance and self regulation.

Rahul Easwar, Activist

The centuries old practice prohibited women of menstruating age from entering the temple.