Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has said the party will study what the majority of judges in the Supreme Court said while it referred to a larger Bench the review petition against the verdict allowing women of all age groups to enter the Sabarimala temple.
“We heard that it was not a unanimous decision, two judges have dissented. What I can understand is that they have not stayed the earlier judgment, that means it stands,” he told the media on November 14.
It was a question of the Left Democratic Front government implementing the Supreme Court verdict. “We have said whatever the Supreme Court decides we will implement it. If it reverses the earlier verdict, we will implement that too,” Mr. Yechury said.
He said that the party would explore the legal options through which the slapping of Sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against two of its members from Kozhikode district in Kerala could be fought. The CPI(M) had opposed the UAPA in Parliament, calling it draconian. “But, it was passed using parliamentary majority and it is now the law of the land. Once it is law, we can’t oppose unless you want to violate it. Within the law, we will see what are the means by which relief can be procured [for the two party workers],” Mr. Yechury said.
He said that the party would fight it in whichever manner legally permissible.
