Udupi: “Do not hurt the sentiments of Hindus by violating several centuries old traditions. We respect the verdict of the Supreme Court, but it should not hurt devotees and their traditions,” said District Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Mattar Rathnakar Hegde.
Addressing the people who gathered in front of the Martyrs Ground, Ajjarkad on Thursday, January 3, to protest against the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple, Mattar Rathnakar Hegde said that all the Ayyappa devotees have been following strict rituals since many years. “It is not just Sabarimala Temple, other temples in the country also have their own traditions. Article 7 says that all are equal before the law. In fact, the entry of women into Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala, Kerala, is a question of belief and dedication. It was wrong on part of the communist government to have implemented the order of the Supreme Court as it was against the sentiments of the Hindu community.”, he opined.
“When the women of Muslim community are not allowed to enter into Mosques, why it should be applied to the Hindu community in the case of Sabarimala,” he questioned.
Manjunath Swamy, Public Relations head of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), South Zone, said that Kerala government, by implementing the order of the Supreme Court, has hurt the sentiments of Hindu community. The Hindu community would never accept the order of the court on Sabarimala temple as it goes against the traditions which are being followed from centuries, he added.
Swamy said the entry of women into Sabarimala is an offence and warned that the Hindu community would not tolerate this kind of attack on Sabarimala temple.
Balaguru, Sunil K R, VHP leaders Susheela K Shetty and Shymala Kundar spoke during the protest.
BJP leaders Dinakar Babu, Prabhakar Poojary, Sandhya Ramesh, Geethanjali Suvarna, Katapady Shanker Poojary, Shreesha Nayak, CMC members and others were present.
