Kochi/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The RSS suggestion to open all temples to women cannot be accepted in the case of Sabarimala, according to Travancore Devaswom Board president Prayar Gopalakrishnan. “It’s an untimely and inappropriate suggestion,” he said. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan also toed a similar line.
“As far as Sabarimala is concerned, we’re only following the age-old tradition of not allowing women between 10 and 50 years to enter the temple. The TDB and state government give high importance to preserve the customs and traditions,” Mr Gopalakrishnan said at Pampa.
The RSS said on Sunday that the restriction on the entry of women in any temple was ‘unfair’ and that the temple managements doing so should change their mentality. However, the comment by RSS general secretary Suresh Bhayyaji Joshi in Nagpur was made against the backdrop of some cases highlighted through recent agitations in Maharashtra.
“I don’t think the RSS suggestion is appropriate in the case of Sabarimala. BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan should make his stand clear on the issue,” Mr Gopalakrishnan told reporters. Mr Kummanam retaliated through a statement that political parties were trying for political gain. He said women have not been denied entry in Sabarimala, but certain restrictions have been imposed as per their age.
“India is a country where the rights of the women have not been denied. BJP and RSS have been following the same tradition. It was P. Madhavji, RSS pracharak who took the revolutionary decision to appoint priests belonging to dalit community as per the Palium declaration,” said Mr Kummanam.
He added that the controversy was being generated to for political gain. A final call has to be taken by believers, office-bearers of the temples and temple priests after holding collective discussion on the issue. But priority should be given to the sayings of believers and the current status should be maintained in Sabarimala, he said.
