This Article is From Nov 27, 2018

Rehana Fathima, Who Attempted Sabarimala Trek, Arrested Over Facebook Post

Kerala police had registered a case against Rehana Fathima on October 30

Rehana Fathima, Who Attempted Sabarimala Trek, Arrested Over Facebook Post

The Kerala High Court declined anticipatory bail to her early this month.

Thiruvananthapuram:

Model and activist Rehana Fathima who had almost made it to the Sabarimala temple in October was arrested today for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments with her "insulting" social media posts on Lord Ayyappa.

The alleged incident that led to the case, a non-bailable offence, took place before she tried and failed to enter the shrine after the Supreme Court in September lifted a ban on women of menstruating age offering prayers at the temple.

Kerala police registered a case against Ms Fathima on October 30 after Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi, a group that claims to fight for upholding the "traditions at the temple" accused her of insulting the Hindu religious belief with what they described as her "provocative and insulting" social media posts.

The Kerala High Court declined anticipatory bail to her early this month. Ms Fathima said she did no wrong.

Less than two weeks before the case was filed, escorted by the police and in riot gear Ms Fathima, along with an Andhra Pradesh journalist, reached a few metres away from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple when they were stopped by the protesters including the priests.

The protesters believe the decades old tradition of not allowing women in the aged between 10 and 50 should be done away with in the temple where the deity is a celibate.

Shortly after her failed attempt, Kerala Temple Affairs minister Kadakampally Surendran said the "activists with agenda" should not try to enter the temple.

Ms Fathima insists that she is an Ayyappa devotee. Her house was vandalised by unidentified people while she was away trying to climb the holy hill to the temple.

 

 

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