Kerala govt will discuss Sabarimala issue with all sections of society: MA Baby

Senior CPI(M) leader M A Baby on Tuesday said the Kerala government will discuss with all stakeholders the implementation of Supreme Court's final order on the issue of entry of women into Sabarimala temple. Dubbing as 'foolish' the announcement made by the Congress to bring a new law, banning unauthorised entry into the famous temple, if the party comes to power in the state, Baby said the matter was still under the consideration of the top court.

"A larger bench of the Supreme Court is considering the review petitions in the Sabarimala issue. It seems like the court will examine the matters related to Article 25 of the constitution. As the Court is all set to examine the issues related to Article 25 and the rights and limitations of the state, central governments over religious beliefs, it's foolish to say that state legislation will be enacted in the matter," the Polit bureau member of the Left party told media here.

Senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan had said the national party will bring a new law in the state banning unauthorised entry into Sabarimala temple in consultation with the Tantri, if it comes to power.


Recalling that three BJP activists moved the Apex court seeking women's entry into the Sabarimala shrine, Baby said, "Once the Supreme Court pronounces a final judgement on Sabarimala, the LDF will discuss with all the sections of the society on the implementation of that order. How can we assume what the court order would be? It's foolish to announce that a new law will be formulated," Baby said.

The LDF government had erected a 620 km "renaissance" wall on January 1, 2019, in which lakhs of women from the northern end of Kasaragod to the southern tip here, had participated as part of a state-sponsored initiative to uphold gender equality.

The 'Women's wall' was conceived in the backdrop of frenzied protests witnessed in the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala after the LDF government decided to implement the SC verdict, allowing all women to pray at the Ayyappa shrine.

Two women in their forties had trekked the hill shrine a day after the human wall was erected and offered prayers, breaking the age-old custom of not allowing those in the menstrual age to pray at the Ayyappa temple.