KERALA SOFTENS STANCE OVER SABARIMALA

Ramesh Babu letters@hindustantimes.com

NILAKKAL (SABARIMALA BASE CAMP) Kerala’s Sabarimala temple reopened on Friday — a day of high drama at the Kochi airport where activist Trupti Desai was prevented by protesters from leaving the building — even as the administrators of the hilltop shine said they would approach the Supreme Court for more time to allow women of all ages to enter the temple.

The Travancore Devaswom Board’s (TDB) decision to approach the top court is being seen as a climbdown by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whose government has repeatedly said it was committed to implementing the court’s September verdict despite protests by traditionalists and political opponents.

TDB is an autonomous body; its president and two board members are appointed by the state government.

A Padmakumar, the incumbent president, is a former legislator of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M).

The board, which is in charge of the administration of the temple, had refrained from approaching the court so far, reportedly on the chief minister’s insistence.

Activist Trupti Desai, who arrived at Kochi airport on her way to the temple, was halted by hundreds of protesters who blocked all the exits.

Desai was holed up at the airport for about 14 hours after she landed in the tourist hot spot around 5am. In the evening, she said she would return — for now — only to be back before the doors of the shrine are closed in midJanuary.