Rituals and customs must be protected: Devaswom Board to change stance on Sabarimala women's entry?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Devaswom Board may change its stance on the entry of women into Sabarimala. Board President PS Prashanth hinted at this in a press conference held yesterday in connection with the Global Ayyappa Sangam.

The Kerala government had filed affidavit in the Supreme Court supporting women's entry into the Sabarimala temple. The decision to change this affidavit will be taken after consulting legal experts. Efforts will be made to convince the court of the temple's rituals. The stance is that the rituals should be protected. The Devaswom Board has come to the position that the entry of women into Sabarimala is against the rituals. It is also assessed that this move will damage the BJP's attempt to turn the believers against the government as the assembly elections approach. The board's stance was in favour of the entry of women when the review petitions were heard in the Supreme Court in 2020.

BJP had questioned whether the board would change its stand on the issue of women's entry before the global Ayyappa Sangam to be held in Pampa on September 20. The SNDP and NSS, which have expressed support for the Ayyappa Sangam, have demanded that the rituals be protected. While the BJP and Sangh Parivar organizations are opposing the Sangam, the support of prominent community organizations is giving confidence to the Devaswom Board and the government.