The Pandalam Palace managing committee president P.G. Sasikumar Varma on Sunday told The Hindu that the reported Kerala government move to take young women to the Sabarimala hill shrine, in violation of the ageold custom and practices at the Ayyappa Temple, has badly hurt the sentiments of the scores of devotees across the globe.
Mr. Varma alleged that the heavy police deployment there amply suggested that the government has declared a war on the devotees in the name of the Supreme Court verdict allowing entry of women of all ages.
He alleged that the Sannidhanam has been converted into more or less a police camp, leaving a scary situation at the holy hillock, and this situation should have been avoided.
Tantri (high priest) Kandararu Rajeevararu has reiterated his stand that the ageold temple custom and practices should be protected in the larger interests of the sanctity of Sabarimala.
There were reports that a sizeable number of Sangh Parivar workers were camping on the hillock and inside the forests to check attempts, if any, by young women to enter the temple premises.
The Sabarimala Action Council will be organising prayer sessions (Naamajapom) at 200 places across the State from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. The prayer sessions will conclude with the closing of the sanctum sanctorum at Sabarimala on both days.
Meanwhile, the police have permitted the mediapersons to proceed to Pampa from Nilackal only by 8.30 pm on Sunday and that too after strong protests by the latter.
However, the crew of television channels were not permitted to take their OB van beyond Pampa-Triveni at Pampa, ultimately denying permission for live telecast from the Pampa Ganapati temple premises and from the Neelimala-bottom.
Woman police constables have been deployed at Pampa and Nilackal. District police chief T. Narayanan told The Hindu that a group of women cops above the age of 50 have also been kept ready for deployment at Sabarimala Sannidhanam.
