'What the Sabarimala majority verdict has done is to elevate the principle of equality over all others, including the right to worship, and declared that this will be the litmus test of all practices, and re-emphasise that practices that are ultra vires will be junked,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
The issue of denial of permission to Mansiya V P to perform Bharatanatyam at Koodalmanikyam temple, Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district has become a matter of debate in the state.
The Sabarimala stampede has sparked criticism of Kerala government and the temple board for alleged failure to act on recommendations of the panel, which probed a similar tragedy in 1999, to develop alternative routes to the hill shrine to check recurring mishaps.
Accepting the report of the Food Safety Commissioner, that appam at Sabarimala was unfit for human consumption, the Kerala high court on Tuesday observed there was lack of proper management in the affairs of the Lord Ayyappa shrine.
'On the one hand it will appeal to pan-Hindu sentiment and on the other opposition to it could well strengthen support for the BJP among Hindu voters.'
Sivadasan's family has demanded a probe into his death.
Bindu from Malappuram and Durga of Kozhikode were trying hard to become part of history by trying to enter the shrine under heavy police protection.
Meena said political parties should be responsible enough to decide to what extent they should use the Sabarimala issue during the campaign.
The injured have been admitted to Sannidhanam hospital, Pathnamthitta Collector R Girija said. She said there was a "small stampede" between Sannidhanam and Malikapuram and about 20 persons were injured.
Considering the heavy rush to the hill shrine since last weekend, the police and security contingent deployed for crowd management will be strengthened in the coming days, official sources said in Sabarimala on Monday.
The BJP chief condemned the arrest of over 2,000 devotees, including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Sangh Parivar activists, across the state agitating against the entry of women of all ages into the temple.
Though the government was for maintaining equal status for men and women, a separate season for women was necessary in view of the practical difficulties in providing facilities for women, when lakhs of devotees converge there during the pilgrimage season between November and January, it said.
Police said the tantri came in person to give the second complaint to the Central Police Circle Inspector. The police have registered the second complaint.
'These atheist people wanted to finish the progress of Sabrimala temple devotees and now they are using this (the Supreme Court verdict) as a weapon to destroy the believers.'
'The Supreme Court should not have come out with this kind of order and in my opinion, the court should correct it.'
The Kerala government on Friday decided to order a police inquiry into Kannada actress Jayamala's claim that she had entered the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.
Sabarimala Special Commissioner Rajendra Nair said a jeep had ploughed through the pilgrims, who were returning from 'makara samkrama pooja', using a narrow trekking path in a heavily forested hilly area, about 7km from Sabarimala hilltop shrine.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha took note of the plea of social activist Jaya Thakur, a Madhya Pradesh-based doctor, and issued notices to the central government and all the states and UTs.
Barring entry to non-Hindu devotees should be construed as 'contempt on Hindu religion' and anyone who is ready to follow the temple traditions should be allowed to worship, Bhattathiripad said.
Easwar claimed the allegation was a mere attack from people opposed to his ideology and meant for "political manipulation", and added "I dismiss it".
A high level meeting held at the behest of the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair, has decided to provide more companies of the Rapid Action Force to Sabarimala during the ensuing temple season.
According to custom, only believers of Hinduism are permitted entry at the temple, a major pilgrim centre and tourist attraction in the southern part of the country.
He will take oath on November 9, a day after incumbent CJI Justice Uday Umesh Lalit demits office on attaining the age of 65.
What should be made out of the Madras high court order involving non-Hindus' entry into Hindu temples, when many non-Hindus are among the hundreds of thousands that have been worshipping at these temples for generations, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
Counted as a judge who enriched the 'verdict docket' of the apex court, Justice Chandrachud is viewed as sharp, articulate and forward looking.
A recommendation had been made for the appointment of a total of 62 priests, including 26 from forward caste, it said
The activist will be produced before the magistrate court in Kochi after completing formalities of her arrest, they said.
Taking note of the higher turnout of 2.5 million for the ritual in March 2009, Guinness upgraded the record recently as a religious event that draws the largest gathering of women, temple sources said.
'We will talk to Muslim, Christian organisations and form a broad alliance so that every temple, church and mosque will have freedom to manage their affairs and not to be intervened upon.'
The court noted that several devotees visiting the Jagannath temple in Puri were being harassed.
'This is an issue that is larger than the interests of any one party.'
Some speakers also blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.
Ignoring protests by green campaigners, Union Ministry of Environment and Forest has given clearance to the private airport project at Aranmula in Kerala, promoted by KGS Group.
The court will consider issues related to entry of Muslim women into mosques, female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community and barring of Parsi women, married to non-Parsi men, from the holy fire place at Agiary.
Banks in talks with temple trusts to push gold scheme
Stampedes at temples and other religious places in India have claimed nearly 900 lives in the past nine years, including those who died in Friday night's melee at Sabarimala shrine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday targeted Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front over the gold smuggling scam, saying the Communist Party of India-Marxist-led government "betrayed" the people of the state just as Judas did to Lord Jesus for a few pieces of silver.
The government on Wednesday named nine out of 15 members of the 'Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teertha Kshetra' trust constituted for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya as mandated by the Supreme Court. Here's all you need to know about the members of the trust who have been named so far.
'Comparing a men-only pilgrimage with past blots like sati or untouchability is propelled by politics, mischief and malevolence,' argues Sudhir Bisht.
He added that if the Constitutional morality still breathes, first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's fear that Supreme Court will become the third chamber of Parliament might come true.
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