'Agitators had plan to spill blood in Sabarimala to force closure of temple'

October 24, 2018 20:25

Activist Rahul Eswar, among those who spearheaded the frenzied protests in Sabarimala, on Wednesday said they had a contingency plan to force the closure of the temple by spilling blood on its premises by some devotees in case any woman in the 'barred' age group managed to reach it.

Released on bail after being arrested over the stir, he claimed 20 Lord Ayyappa devotees opposing the entry of women in the age group of 10 and 50 were ready to inflict knife injuries on themselves on the temple premises which would have forced the priests to close the gates on account of impurity.

"Had their blood fallen on the floor of the temple, that

would have forced the priests to shut the shrine for three

days for purification rituals," Eswar, president of the

'Ayyappa Dharma Sena', told reporters.

Easwar, who was arrested along with 19 others a day after the temple opened for monthly pujas on October 17, said those leading the agitation had discouraged the devotees from taking such an extreme step.

He, however, claimed devotees may take such a step if the government facilitated the entry of women in menstrual age into the temple of Lord Ayyappa, the eternally celibate deity, during the coming annual three-month long pilgrim season.

The temple witnessed high drama for six days with around a dozen women in 10-50 age group being prevented by protesting devotees from entering it after it opened for the first time after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on women of menstruating age.

-- PTI

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