Conduct of Kerala Govt on Sabarimala issue shameful: PM Modi

Attending two launch projects in Kollam, PM Modi said: "TFor a few months, the entire nation has been talking about Sabarimala. The conduct of Kerala’s LDF Government on the Sabarimala issue will go down in history as one of the most shameful behaviours by any Party and Government."

"The conduct of Kerala govt will go down in history as one of the shameful behaviours by any party and govt. We knew that the Communist don’t respect Indian history, culture and spirituality, but nobody imagined they would have such hatred," he said.

On Sept 28 last year, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had lifted the ban on women's entry into the Sabarimala temple declaring the relevant rules as unconstitutional.

For centuries, menstruating women were banned from entering the temple in devotion to Lord Ayyappa.  

Following the top court's verdict, the shrine opened on Oct 18 for the first time allowing menstruating women, belonging to the age group of 10 to 50, to enter the temple.

However, several men and women had protested outside the temple, and tried to prevent the entry of women in the shrine.

CPI(M) hits back:

The CPM slammed back at PM Modi with a tweet stating: "Shameful that Modi attacked the LDF Govt for implementing Supreme Court's order on #Sabarimala while inaugurating a project in Kollam in Kerala. Modi should read the Indian constitution which he is sworn to uphold rather than Manusmriti or RSS oath!"

The party allged that BJP defends rapists and that is more shameful.

Since the Supreme Court verdict, massive protests erupted in the state to restrict the women who reached Sabarimala.

However, the state government had said it was duty-bound to implement the top court's orders.

Three other women create history:

Earlier two women in their mid 40s entered the shrine with police protection.

Video footage of the incident, where two women could be seen entering the temple, had gone viral on social media.

These two women were identified as activists Bindhu and Kanaka Durga.

After the women's entry,  the temple was closed for "purification rituals", a move that was slammed by various outfits saying it was practising untouchability.

Last week, Kerala police claimed a Sri Lankan woman named Sasikala entered the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine. However, Sasikala denied saying she was close to 18 golden steps that lead to the shrine but was stopped by police despite knowing that she has crossed her menstrual age.

Her passport gave her date of birth as December 3, 1972, reported The Hindu.