India
Pinarayi Vijayan's move to let women enter Sabarimala in the middle of the night through the back door is a cowardly act. Devaswom Board is anti-Hindu. But the Ayyappa devotees have a two-way approach to fight this legally.
Thiruvananthapuram: When the Pinarayi Vijayan announced the government-sponsored initiative - Vanitha Mathil (Women's Wall), we disagreed, but we respected such a move because it is an open declaration of a socio-political position of the Left wing.
However, sneaking in young feminists (who aren't real devotees) in the middle of the night through the back door of the Sabarimala temple is a sub-standard drama played out by the leftists in Kerala.
There are many news reports, which suggest that these young feminists are linked to naxal movements. Hence, their claim to get the darshan of Lord Ayyappa is devoid of any divine yearning.
Several people from minority communities have come out in large numbers extending their support to the decades-old tradition of the temple. The majority of Muslims and Christians respect the sentiments of Ayyappa devotees. Some hardliners in their community may have used this as an occasion to trample Hindu beliefs. One thing is for sure, that devotees, not just in Kerala, but from across the country, will answer this betrayal by the communists.
None less than the Prime Minister of India supported Sabarimala and, on the day, expressed his position. The leftists wanted to pollute Sabarimala and demean Prime Minister Modi.
Even the family members of many of those young, left-wing women activists, who tried to force their way into Sabarimala (sometimes ridiculing our faith), said that it is a conspiracy hatched by CPI(M) netas and few police officers.
Also watch: Ayyappa devotees to take fight against women's entry in Sabarimala to court
We will continue this fight legally. We have a two-handed approach. On one side, we will fight the Supreme Court case, which is all set to hear the review petition of the Sabarimala verdict starting January 22. And on the other hand, we will try the 'Jallikattu' model and fight for an ordinance with an intention to #SaveSabarimala.
The Devaswom Board has become an anti-Hindu board in the hands of communists and atheists. It is reflective of Pinarayi Vijayan's arrogance, wearing a 'hate Hindu' attitude on display. In fact, the chief minister lacked the courage to bring in those feminist naxals like Bindu and Kanakadurga, in the morning. He did not have the guts to do that for he knew devotees would object fiercely. He thus resorted to this 'cowardly' act.
The back-door entry during midnight makes it all the more evident. This is undemocratic and unethical.
The misconception is that the ban on women entering Sabarimala is always linked to menstruation. And the staunch leftists lie through their teeth and strongly fuel this mistaken belief. The philosophy of the temple stems from the fact that the Ayyappa deity in Sabarimala is a Naishtika Brahmachari (one who undertakes a vow to remain a celibate till his death). Leftists wanted to play the victim card by siding with the verdict and claiming to be fighting for the cause of women, but lakhs of women, who are true devotees of Sabarimala, respect the tradition and beliefs.
We, the Hindus and Ayyappa devotees, will carry this 'Dharma Yuddh' forward and we hope the judiciary will transcend beyond social engineering and respect tradition.
The author is the president of Ayyappa Seva Samajam
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.