Government is for protecting devotees' beliefs on Sabarimala: Kerala law minister P Rajeev

Thiruvananthapuram: Indicating a change in the stand of the left-front government in Kerala on the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple women entry issue, Kerala law minister P Rajeev said on Monday that the government would always remain for protecting the belief of devotees.

"This is not a question of yes or no, but a matter involving seven complicated questions involving Constitutional rights pertaining to freedom of religion and religious practices. The government will have to take a balanced position by considering the views of devotees as well as social reformers. The government's stand will be communicated to the Supreme Court at the required time after detailed examination," Rajeev told reporters on Monday after the Supreme Court decided to seek the opinion of all parties involved in the matter before March 14.

In a bid to wriggle out of the criticisms that the left-front government earlier backed the demand to lift the ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group to the Ayyappa temple, Rajeev said that in the earlier affidavit filed by the then left-front government it was suggested that a commission of Hindu scholars and experts on social issues should examine the matter in detail. But since the SC then ordered to lift the ban on women entry, the government had to enforce it, he said.

He also added that even as the SC did not stay the 2018 order allowing women of all ages to the temple, the government did not enforce it after the SC decided to review it in 2019. The Congress and BJP had initially welcomed the court order. Later they changed their stand owing to political interests, said Rajeev.

Kerala opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress said that the government should correct the affidavit filed before the SC earlier supporting the demand to lift the ban on entry. Instead of dilly dallying on the matter, the government should make its stand clear, he said.

Nair Service Society that represents the Hindu-Nair community and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) that represents the Hindu - Ezhava communities also urged the government to oppose entry of women in the 10-50 age group to the Ayyappa temple.

With the Assembly polls approaching, the state government's stand on the Sabarimala women entry assumes much significance. Kerala witnessed violent protests  in 2018-19 when the Pinarayi VIjayan government tried to enforce the SC order allowing women of all ages to enter the temple. Two women were also given police protection to enter the temple on January 2, 2019. The setback suffered by the left front in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was interpreted as an outcome of it.