Trupti Desai asked to wear a saree if she wants to enter temple

Trupti Desai, the woman who has been in the fore front of the campaign to be allowed in temples, claimed that she was told by Kolhapur police to wear a saree if she wanted to enter the famous Ambabai temple in Kolhapur.

Trupti Desai, who announced her intention to enter the temple sanctum santorum on Wednesday, said that she received a call by the Juna Rajwada police in Kolhapur on Tuesday, where she was asked by the Police Inspector to wear a saree while entering the temple.

"I got a call from the Police Inspector Anil Deshmukh who said that I should wear a saree to enter the temple and not a salwar kameez. I was surprised, I told him that a salwar kameez does not expose my skin in any manner and moreover it is not the police’s job to decide what dress code I should be adhering," said Desai.

Desai said that Deshmukh told her that if she wore a saree and entered the temple then there would be a confrontation with the temple trustees.

"I have told him come what may, I will not wear a saree to enter the temple. The police should not decide who wears what clothes; they are here to enforce law and order," said Desai. The latter has also recorded a clip of the conversation between her and Deshmukh.

Deshmukh when contacted told ET that he only 'advised' Trupti to wear a saree and it was not a diktat. "We sorted this issue of women not being allowed inside, however there were many people who wanted only saree clad women to enter the sanctorum. So in order to prevent a law and order situation, we just requested her to wear a saree," said Deshmukh. He added that this was not an order and just a request.