BJP activists reach Secretariat to protest Sabarimala judgment

Thousands of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists on Monday marched to the Secretariat here to protest implementation of the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups entry into the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa shrine.

In another development, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has convened a meeting of various stakeholders of the shrine, including the tantri (head priest) family, Pandalam royals and Ayyappa Seva Sangam here on Tuesday.

The meeting, called to discuss the preparations of the threemonth-long annual MandalamMakaravilakku pilgrim season starting from November 17, was expected to discuss the recent Supreme court order also. The shrine will reopen on Wednesday for monthly rituals.

BJP activists, including a large number of women and children, marched to the administrative hub, Secretariat here, chanting mantras of Lord Ayyappa and holding the garlanded pictures of the deity. The mammoth foot march, which started last week from Pandalam, was in protest against the Left government’s decision to implement the top court order without considering sentiments of believers and Lord Ayyappa devotees.

The BJP has also alleged that the attempt to implement the judgement was a “conspiracy” to destroy the hillock shrine, where lakhs of people from the country and abroad visit during the three-month pilgrim season beginning mid-November.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: