Bindu Ammini, one of the two women who were sneaked into Sabarimala last year by the communist government, wants to enter into the shrine this year too. As per reports, she was attacked with chilli spray by an unidentified person while she waited near a police station.
As per reports, Bindu Ammini was near the Ernakulam police commissioner’s office on Tuesday morning when an unidentified person sprayed chilli powder on her. Bindu had gone there to seek police protection as she wants to enter the Sabarimala shrine again this year.
The portals of the hill-top shrine were opened for the two-month-long pilgrimage season on November 16.
Kerala: Bindu Ammini, who had visited #Sabarimala temple in January, sprayed with chilli powder in front of Kochi commissioner’s office#sabarimalatemple pic.twitter.com/YVKjwelCqD
— TOI Kochi (@TOIKochiNews) November 26, 2019
Bindu later told to media persons that the police were very irresponsible and they did not try to arrest the miscreant who had attacked her. Bindu added that even after she requested the police to arrest the man, the police did not proceed immediately.
Bindu and another woman named Kanakadurga were sneaked into the Sabarimala shrine last year by the communist government to forcibly break the traditions of the temple. Both of them were reportedly CPM workers and they were accompanied by policemen dressed in plain clothes inside the shrine.
The devotees at Sabarimala had later alleged that the women were sneaked in via the VIP entrance early in the morning on January 2 last year.
The HC appointed monitoring committee had slammed the Kerala police and Patthanamittha administration for taking unauthorised steps to facilitate the entry of the two CPIM female activists Bindu and Kanakadurga causing huge embarrassment for the Pinarayi Vijayan led Kerala government.
The Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government had faced severe protests and outrage by Hindus for its use of force to blatantly disregard the traditions and sentiments of a community and go out of its way to escort activists and atheists inside the temple.
The Kerala government’s excesses were slammed by the High Court. The Sabarimala excesses had also made the CPM face a massive electoral rout in the 2019 general elections.
This year, the Kerala government has been on a cautionary mode. They have made it clear that the SC’s decision to take on the review petitions for the September 2018 order and its statements on the regard have de facto stayed the earlier order and they will not provide state protection to women within the restricted age-group who are seeking entry into the shrine.
In another development, activist Trupti Desai has also arrived at Kochi and has declared that she will go to Sabarimala whether Kerala government provides her protection or not.
Last year, Trupti had to go back from Cochin airport after a complete non-cooperation from the locals. Even the taxi drivers had refused to take her and her entourage of activists from the airport.
The efforts of non-Hindus, activists and atheists to forcibly enter a Hindu religious shrine under the garb of democratic rights and disregarding the faith and traditions of the devotees have been criticised widely by Hindus around the world.
It is notable here that the Sabarimala temple is the seat of Lord Ayyappa who is worshipped there in his ‘Naishtika Brahmachari’ form. Hence, only the devotees who had observed a rigorous 41-day penance and are carrying the ‘Irumudi’ are traditionally allowed into the shrine. Women of menstruating age are barred.
