We will continue our protest prayers at Sabarimala in a Gandhian way, activist Rahul Easwar said
Activist Rahul Easwar, who is out on bail after he was arrested for allegedly blocking women at Sabarimala, has claimed many protesters were ready to shed their blood to close the temple, in case any woman managed to enter forcefully.
"If traditions have been violated there is a provision to close the temple. I am saying this openly. Even we need a Plan B and Plan C. If someone (women between the age of 10 to 50) entered the temple forcefully with police's help, I was not there, but there were around 20 people on standby. They were ready to slash their hands because if any blood would fall in the temple, the temple will be shut for three days. No matter who says, the temple can't be opened after that for three days. So people must remember, if we devotees are provoked, we have our own ways."
Nine women had tried to enter Sabarimala during the five days that the temple was open for the first time since a Supreme Court order allowing all women to enter, but none could make it, despite police protection.
There was a point when two women were escorted by the police for more than 4 kilometres from the Pamba base camp, just few minutes from the last 18 steps leading to the temple, but were blocked by protesting devotees.
"I have been called by the chief priest and he has said if these women are brought in, they will close down the temple. I have informed this to the women, and they have decided to return back," Inspector General Sreejith, who led the police team escorting two women, had told mediapersons.
Violence had been witnessed at base camps of Nilakkal and Pamba, and also against women in their menstruating years, who tried to enter Sabarimala. The police have issued a lookout notice to all districts against 210 people, who are suspected to have created law and order issues at Sabarimala.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday alleged that the Sangh Parivar was behind the violence and that they wanted to transform Sabarimala into a battle ground. Congress working president K Sudhakaran also told the media that "BJP and Hanuman Sena activists were involved the in the violence at the base camp of Nilakkal."
"I was present at Nilakkal and I have seen with my own eyes and confirmed it firsthand that BJP and Hanuman Sena men were involved in the violence witnessed in Nilakkal against media persons and police," Congress leader K Sudhakaran told NDTV.
The BJP, however, has rubbished these allegations.
"The BJP did not lead any protests but instead stood with the devotees. This protest was by devotees. This is nothing but a ploy of an atheist Left government to defame devotees and destroy Sabarimala," BJP state President Sreedharan Pillai told NDTV.
Rahul Easwar has confirmed that protests will continue against the entry of women in the 10 to 50 age bracket in Sabarimala.
"The temple will open on 5-6th November. After that the temple will open on 17 November for around 61 days. And we will continue our protest prayers in a Gandhian way, on all these days. The CPM-led government must remember that they are not only a government of atheists, but also a government of us devotees," he said.