Women activists barred from entering Shani temple, assaulted by adamant villages despite HC order.
Mumbai/Ahmednagar : Despite the Bombay High Court ruling that no law can put restrictions on women entering places of worship and that it is their ‘fundamental right’, villagers of Shani Shingnapur stopped hundreds of women activists from entering the holy shrine on Saturday.
Trupti Desai, president of the Bhumata Ranragini Brigade, along with hundreds of women activists while heading towards the sanctum sanctorum of the Shani temple was assaulted and prevented from getting on the platform where the deity is installed by agitated villagers, especially women who did not want to break the age-old traditions. The police, in order to maintain law and order, barricaded the temple complex before detaining Desai and her supporters. The villagers who assaulted and pushed the women activists outside the temple premises said that they were not aware of the court order and that only after going through the court order, they will decide further course of action.
The local villagers have formed an action committee which plans to challenge the HC order in the Supreme Court. Senior counsel Nilima Vartak, who had filed the original petition regarding the entry of women in Shani Shingnapur temple in Bombay High Court, said, “The court ruled on the basis of the Acting Advocate General’s statement and also directed the implementation of the Maharashtra Hindu Place of Worship (Entry Authorization) Act, 1956.”
“In such a case where the Act already exists, there is no need for the court’s order and people who have barred women from entering the temple are eligible for punishment provided under the Act,” she added.
She also said the women activists should file an FIR against those who barred them from entering so that they can be hauled up for contempt of court.
However, former Advocate General, Shreehari Aney, said that the women activists should have waited till the orders were issued.
He said, “This cannot amount to contempt of court since the villagers and the temple trustees have not been given the court’s orders yet.”
On Friday, the government had assured the court that women would be allowed to enter all the places where men are allowed, but it had also clarified that it has banned entry of men in the sanctum sanctorum. However, Desai had said that she will enter the inner sanctum since the pundits who perform the rituals near the holy shrine are also men.
Aney pointed out that if women want to enter the sanctum on the basis that the pundits are male, the activists should then discuss the appointment of female pundits.
Desai alleged that the government did not make appropriate arrangements and did not protect their fundamental right to pray and that she would file an FIR against the concerned authorities. The state government has dubbed the move as a publicity stunt.
Speaking on the issue, BJP’s spokesperson Shaina NC said that the Chief Minister has stood by the cause of women’s rights and also that the government is against gender discrimination. She said, “A 400 year-old tradition will meet resistance but the government will follow the court orders.”
“There were two groups, one of which wanted to enter the temple and one which was opposing it, so in order to maintain law and order the police took action,” she clarified when asked about the action taken by the police.
Similarly, Shiv Sena too dubbed Desai’s protest as a publicity stunt saying when no one is allowed to enter the inner sanctum of Shani temple, then why Desai should be allowed.
Reacting to Desai’s statement on pundits, Manisha Kayande, the Sena spokesperson said, “The pundits who perform rituals have to take bath and they have a particular type of attire while performing the rituals, and also no other men are allowed near the sanctum.” She also suggested that if Desai has an objection over male pundits she should discuss the appointment of a female pundit with the temple trust. NCP’s Chitra Wagh had also announced that she would be visiting the temple to offer prayers but she cancelled her plan after the women from the village asked her not to enter the temple since they want to go through the court’s orders. Wagh too condemned the assault on Desai and her supporters and said that the government should look into this matter. (with inputs from agencies)
Meanwhile, nothing stops Pankaja Munde
Mumbai: Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde offered prayers at a Shani temple in Ahmednagar district on a day when women activists were prevented by locals from venturing on to the sacred platform of the famous Shani Shingnapur temple. Rural Development Minister Munde went up on the ‘chauthara’ (platform) of the temple at Pathardi and offered oil to the idol. The daughter of the late BJP leader Gopinath Munde later tweeted about her visit to the temple. Thus far, women did not offer oil at the temple, said a local in Pathardi.
