THIRUVANNATHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has remarked that Sabarimala thantri should relinquish his post if he can’t executive the court order that allows entry of women of menstruating age also in Sabarimala.

“The decision of the thantri to close the temple and perform purification rites after two women of below 50 years entered Sabarimala temple is strange. It is also contempt of court. Thantri and Devaswom board were parties in the Sabarimala case. The Supreme Court delivered the verdict after hearing the thantri’s version as well. Thantri has the right to personally disagree with the court order but he is bound to execute it. If he can’t do that he should not remain in that post,” the chief minister said at a press conference here on Thursday.

The chief minister said it is the Devaswom which has the authority to decide whether the temple should be closed or opened. It is specified in the Devaswom manual. “When the Devaswom board president was asked whether he was told about the decision to close the temple for purification rites, he answered in the negative. He said he also didn’t give permission to close the door of sanctum sanctorum,” Pinarayi said, adding that Devaswom stood strong by the government.