India
SP Manju, the 36-year-old woman, who entered Sabarimala on January 8, is a member of the Congress. The party that opposed the Supreme Court verdict now goes back on its stand, say angry devotees.
Kollam: Congress worker SP Manju entered the Sabarimala temple on January 8. She entered the shrine alone without police protection and had the darshan of Lord Ayyappa at 7:30 PM on Tuesday. Manju is the fourth woman (under the age of 50 years), who entered the Sabarimala shrine.
The 36-year-old Manju released a video on her Facebook page where she can be seen standing in the Sannidhanam at the Sabarimala temple. Manju told the media that earlier too she had tried to enter the shrine, but due to several protests, she had to call it quits.
Also watch: 36-year-old woman entered Sabarimala on Jan 8 without police protection
Manju faked her identity and entered the shrine. She was disguised as an old woman and managed to climb the hill shrine.
Earlier, on October 20, Manju landed in Pamba, near Sabarimala, in her traditional attire carrying the irumudi kettu, the mandatory offering of coconut, camphor, incense stick, rice and flower. But due to protests staged by BJP workers and Ayyappa devotees, she had to return home.
Manju had also contested local elections on Congress ticket. She has more than 14 criminal cases pending against her. She is also claimed to be the president of the Kerala Dalit Mahila Federation. There are also allegations that she was earlier with the CPI(M).
Pinarayi Vijayan was accused of being a hypocrite by devotees as he took the help of police to ensure three women enter the Sabarimala shrine stealthily, while getting those women arrested for entering the Vavar mosque.
Congress leaders opposed the Supreme Court verdict. And now, one of its members has stepped into Sabarimala going against the stand taken by the party.
"Earlier, Pinarayi Vijayan said he would implement the Supreme Court verdict at any cost. Soon his police arrested three women who tried to enter the Vavar mosque. His double stand on Sabarimala has surfaced. Now, Congress's hypocrisy on Sabarimala has also came out when its own member has entered the shrine. The party aimed to gain votes through Sabarimala issue, but now, every plan has collapsed, " said Anand Sudhir, an Ayyappa devotee from Sharjah.
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