THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) have softened their stance on the contentious issue of young women’s entry into the Sabarimala temple ahead of the start of the hearing of review petitions by a nine-judge bench at the Supreme Court next Monday. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran said Hindu acharyas’ opinion would be taken into account on women’s entry.
“The government opinion is that since it’s a matter related to traditions and rituals, a decision should be taken after considering the opinion of a panel of scholars who have vast knowledge in these matters. And the Supreme Court should be apprised of the decision during the hearing,” he told reporters here. The TDB officials maintained that an urgent meeting of the Board, to be held on Friday, would take a call on the matter.
TDB president N Vasu told mediapersons that a decision would be taken after considering the views of various stakeholders including devotees. Earlier in the day, the minister also clarified the Board is free to take a decision on its own on the matter, hinting the state government is of the view that there is no need to go for confrontation with a section of devotees anymore.
If the Travancore Devaswom Board takes a decision in favour of protecting the traditions and rituals in Sabarimala, it would be a flip-flop on the stance taken by the LDF government and Board itself in the past.
The Board headed by previous president A Padmakumar had taken a stance in favour of women’s entry in Sabarimala.
Barely one and a half years to go for the assembly polls, the state government and TDB seem to have climbed down again on the issue.