Sabarimala not a private property of tantri: Pinarayi

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday slammed tantri, Kandararu Rajeevaru’s controversial statement that he would close the temple if women were allowed inside the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.

‘It was a needless statement from the tantri because the right to open and close the temple vests with the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

‘The protests by the temple employees was also wrong as both the tantri and the employees all come under the TDB and they should not forget it’, said Pinarayi.

The CM further stated that the temple was not a private property of the priest.

The Sabarimala temple, which opened on October 17 for the first time after the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all groups to enter the shrine, witnessed unprecedented protests.

Women who attempted the trek had to abandon the journey midway after devotees protested.

On October 19, two women activists, including Rehna Fathima, accompanied by a huge posse of police personnel had reached near the holy 18 steps. However, as the protests intensified with even the junior priests joining them, they were forced to return.

The apex court had in a historic verdict on September 28 permitted women of all ages to offer prayers at Sabarimala where those aged between 10 and 50 were barred.

The Chief Minister had said that everyone was liable to obey the SC verdict and urged not to engage in any action that would weaken it.

He had also warned Devaswom Board against filing a review petition on womens’ entry to Sabarimala.