Evidence for three women entering Sabarimala: Bindu

Amidst contradictory figures by the Kerala government on the number of women who entered Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, Bindu Ammini, one of the two women who entered the hill shrine on January 2, said on Sunday that she got evidence of three more women in the 10-50 age group entering the temple.

Bindu told reporters in Malappuram district in North Kerala that the visual evidences of the five women visiting the temple would be released at the appropriate time. It included those under the social media group 'Navodhana Kootayima' (Group of progressive people).

It may be recalled that the Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran informed the State Assembly last week that the Sabarimala temple executive officer had given a report that only two women in the 10-50 age group entered the temple. It contradicted with a statement before the Supreme Court on January 18 that 51 women in the 10-50 age group visited the temple as per the registration at the police's virtual queue system. However, it later came to light that many in the list were males and many women in the list were aged above 50. Subsequently, the state government found that only 17 among the 51 were women in 10-50 group.

The fresh revelation by Bindu came just two days ahead of the opening of the Ayyappa temple for six-day long Kumbham month poojas. There were reports that more women would try to enter the temple during these days.

Bindu and Kanaka Durga said they were still facing threats from Sangh Parivar outfits. Kanaka Durga, who recently managed to enter her house with a local court order, is also planning to approach court for seeing her children. She alleged that her family was distancing from her owing to threats and influence of the Sangh Parivar outfits.