KOCHI: On a day thousands of Ayyappa devotees took to the street under the banner of various Hindu organisations, protesting the entry of young women to Sabarimala, Antar Rashtriya Hindu Parishad state president M K Gopinath demanded the state government should bring an ordinance to protect the age-old customs of the hill shrine. “If the state government fails to bring an ordinance within seven days, we will launch a fierce protest bringing together all Ayyappa devotees under the banner of Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi,” he said on Tuesday.
Gopinath said around 30,000 devotees participated in the NH blockade organised by Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi at district headquarters. On Sunday, the samithi will hold devotees’ meetings at major temples in the state. From Monday, the samithi will hold prayer processions in villages. He said no young woman devotee in south India who believes in Ayyappa will violate the age-old customs and enter the temple. Rashtriya Bajrang Dal state president Sreeraj was also present.
The Bharath Dharma Jana Sena Ernakulam regional committee organised a hunger protest and prayer session at Palarivattom on Tuesday demanding to protect Sabarimala temple. Sabarimala former chief priest Ezhikode Sasi Namboothiri said it is not for the court or the government to make a decision on the customs and rituals to be followed by a temple. The government should bring an ordinance to protect the sanctity of the temple, he said.
Former Malikappuram chief priest Karikode Unnikrishnan Namboothiri, BDJS Trikkakara constituency president K S Vijayan, state general secretary V Gopakumar, BDJS district president A B Jayaprakash, Ayyappa Seva Sangham state president Ayyappadas, C Satheesan, and others participated.