By Amathurahman
Women rights activist Trupti Desai and her group called off their attempt to enter Lord Ayyappa’s shrine after another women’s rights activist Bindu Ammini who tried entering the shrine were ‘spice sprayed’ (either chilli or pepper but does it matter?) by Hindu outfits.
Pune-based Trupti Desai, the founder of Bhumata Brigade, which advocates for gender equality, arrived in the Nedumbassery airport to enter the Sabrimala temple. They planned to enter on November 26 because it coincides with the National Constitution Day-so yes, why not.
Although the Supreme Court granted entry for menstruating women (ages 10-50) to the temple, the Bhumata Brigade couldn’t enter the previous year. Add to that, the police, when approached, denied giving protection for ladies for the entry.
Determined to enter this pooja season, Desai sought the company of Bindu Ammini, a core player who fought for women to enter the shrine.
Miss Ammini made history as the first menstruating woman to enter the Sabrimala temple last year after the verdict.
What’s it like to add salt to a paper cut?
When the court favored the women, the Hindu fanatics and the state government felt a paper cut. When menstruating women started praying inside the temple last year, that’s like salting the paper cut. This year they’ve made sure this doesn’t happen twice.
In a video that went viral recently, Bindu Ammini was seen assaulted with a spice spray by one of the protestors (identified Sreenath Padmanabhan) from the Antharashtra Hindu Parishad (AHP). She was later ushered into the general hospital for treatment.
AHP, who, along with BJP is known to oppose the entry of ladies into the temple, earlier protested the entry of the Brigade for Darshan.
The Antharashtra Hindu Parishad and the BJP have apparently ‘girded their loins’ this year. To humiliate a lady, who dared to tarnish their patriarchal ego last year by spice spraying her is what girding ‘their’ loins is contexted here.
This wouldn’t have happened if the police agreed to give protection for the activists when Trupti Desai sought for the same previously.
With no police protection this time, they were successful in subduing the operation with a spice spray.
Hence women rights activist Miss Desai had to call off the mission after the ‘nasty attack’.
Trupti Desai, in response to the incident, vowed to never settle in this matter until they do the Darshan inside the shrine. That they will enter and pray as a brigade with affordable contingencies is something we can say with our fingers crossed.