[dropcap]A[/dropcap] three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justices L Nageswara Rao and Dinesh Maheswari has today ordered the Kerala Government to provide round the clock adequate security to two women, Bindu & Kanakdurga, who entered the Sabrimala temple on January 2, 2019. The Court, however, refused to look into any other aspect raised in the petition.
Appearing for petitioners, senior advocate Indira Jaising submitted that ever since those two have visited the Sabarimala temple, they are facing threat to their life and liberty.
During the course of hearing, counsel for the state of Kerala submitted that a total of 51 women of the age group between 10-50 years have already entered the Sabarimala temple, and state government is providing adequate security to women devotees.
Counsel for Kerala Government also handed over a note to counsel for petitioners which revealed that a total of 7564 women of the age group 10-50 years have registered for darshan in Sabarimala temple and a total of 51 women have already entered the temple. The note also revealed that DGP Kerala has already ordered a preliminary enquiry into the purification carried out by the Thantri of the Sabarimala temple after petitioners having entered the temple and further legal action will be taken in this regard based on the preliminary inquiry.
The Petitioners had approached the Supreme Court seeking direction from the Court that all concerned authorities be directed to allow women of all ages to enter Sabarimala temple without any let or hindrance, and without danger to life and liberty, to ensure security and safe passage, including police security to women wishing to enter Sabarimala temple in future.
The Petitioners had also requested the Court to direct Kerala Government to provide full security, 24/7, to them who had entered the temple, and to deal with protesters indulging in acts of violence, physical and/or verbal on social media or otherwise against them, in accordance with law.
Further, the purification ceremony done at Sabarimala temple was evidence of untouchability being practiced at Sabarimala and that it is based on the notions of purity and pollution, thus violating Article 17 of the Constitution of India, said Petition.
Petitioners had also said that the purification ritual is representative of a cleansing ceremony, signifying that they were impure, which is violative of their dignity under Article 21. It is also in direct contravention to their rights under Article 25 where the Petitioners are "equally entitled" to their right to religion under the Constitution of India.
[pdfviewer]https://cdn.theleaflet.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/18115755/New-Doc-2019-01-18-13.00.37.pdf[/pdfviewer]