Sabarimala: Devotees protest as 11 women reach Pamba

Thiruvananthapuram: Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran has said that the situation at Sabarimala temple has come to a standstill even as protests erupted again at the famous shrine on Sunday.

Surendran said the Kerala high court’s three-member monitoring committee would consider new scenarios and take a decision. The decision will be implemented by the state government, he said.

The Kerala high court has set up a monitoring team consisting of two senior judges and a senior IPS officer, specialising in Sabarimala issues. The government will implement new decisions in Sabarimala under their direction.

“Kerala high court has appointed a three-member committee including two judges to observe the activities of Sabarimala temple. The committee will take the decision and the government will implement it,” Surendran said.

On the other hand, an 11-member team, including Manithi leader Selvi, from Tamil Nadu reached Pamba. The group including activists reached Pamba at 3 AM on Sunday. The members of the group said they will not return without having darshan. And they are in a sit-in protest in Pamba.

Ayyappa devotees and Hindu women groups are protesting on the other side against the Manithi group’s visit to the temple. A team, including senior police officers, is trying to hold talks with the groups.

Meanwhile, as per latest reports, more people from Manithi group are coming to Sabarimala.

Earlier, Manithi leader Selvi had told the media that 50 women would enter the Sabarimala temple on December 23 at any cost.

A group of women under the women empowerment organisation Manithi, headquartered in Chennai, started their journey to Sabarimala temple on December 22.

Selvi said that the group had sent a letter to the chief minister’s office and received a reply that the letter had been handed over to the department concerned.

Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.