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Update
Right-wing Hindu groups attacked women and prevented them from entering an Indian mountain temple in defiance of the highest Indian court, stating that a secular ban on the holy site is illegal.
Key points:
- A secular ban forbids women "of menstrual age" to enter the Sabarimala temple
- India's highest court overturned this ban
- Some believers claim the ban soothes the god Ayyappan, god "eternal bachelor"
The Sabarimala Temple is one of the most sacred sites in India, but for centuries, only men and women under 10 have been able to worship there.
Last month, the ban was ruled illegal by the Supreme Court of India, which had declared that it was violating the right to worship.
Angry demonstrators in the city of Kerala attacked the police and forced women to turn around, claiming that it was against their religion to allow women of childbearing age to enter the temple. .
Several people were taken to the hospital as a result of the violent clashes.
Kerala Industry Minister, EP Jayarajan, told reporters that 10 journalists, five worshipers and 15 policemen had been attacked and that 10 buses had been damaged.
Police have recorded cases involving more than 50 people, local media reported.
"No one will be allowed to prevent anyone, we will do our utmost to enforce the law of the land," said Inspector General of Police Manoj Abraham.
"None will be allowed to be heard."
The ban on women soothes the gods, say groups
While thousands of shirtless men entered the temple with turmeric and incense offerings when it opened for the first time since the court ruling, there was no trace of it women entering.
PK Sanjeev of Dharma Sena, one of the main groups organizing the protests, said he was happy that the women were prevented from entering.
"The police will not discourage us and we will continue to protest," he said.
Uncompromising conservative Hindu groups have threatened to commit suicide en masse to prevent women from going to the temple, which has become the backbone of the debate on women's rights in India.
The groups, among which Shiv Sena, former ally of the Bharatiya Janata party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, say that the ban on women "of menstrual age" is necessary to appease the chief deity of the temple, Ayyappan , described as a god practicing yoga considered eternally. single by the followers.
Protesters broke the windows of a car carrying a reporter from CNN NEWS 18, showed footage of the channel.
"It was shocking that officers were doing nothing," reporter Radhika Ramaswamy said.
"The demonstrators were free to attack our vehicle."
The Kerala government said it would impose an emergency law for two days starting on Thursday, unless groups of more than four people gather within a 30-kilometer radius of the temple.
Kerala Tourism Minister K Surendran called on protesters not to "turn this holy land into a battlefield".
A family of four from the state of Andhra Pradesh, including at least one woman, was protected by police after demonstrators shouted to them slogans prevented them from reaching the temple.
ABC / Reuters
Topics:
religion and beliefs,
religious women,
women,
Hinduism,
law-crime-and-justice
India,
Asia
First posted
