#SabarimalaRow: Hartal begins in Kerala, special security arrangements in place
In yet another move to defy the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of the menstrual age group to enter the Sabarimala temple, Hindu outfits in Kerala called for a hartal. As the hartal began today, buses and auto-rickshaws stayed off the roads. Meanwhile, special security arrangements have been put in place at various locations including Pamba, Nilackal, Erumeli en route to the temple.
Hartal called to protest police lathi-charge against devotees at Nilackal
Sabarimala Samarakashna Samithi, an outfit of devotees, has called the hartal to protest yesterday's "police lathi-charge" against Lord Ayyappa devotees at Nilackal, the base camp of Lord Ayyappa shrine. Protesters had turned violent at Nilackal and clashed yesterday, and police resorted to baton charge.
BJP supporting hartal, Congress only holding protest demonstrations
Despite special security arrangements, stray incidents of stone-pelting on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses were reported from some parts of the state. Police have also promulgated Section 144 of CrPC in four places including Pamba, Sannidhanam. BJP and its NDA partners have extended their support to the hartal call. The Congress wouldn't join the strike but would hold protest demonstrations across Kerala today.
Another outfit called for hartal to get around the verdict
Antharashtriya Hindu Parishad led by Parvin Togadia has also called for a hartal demanding that the CPI-M led LDF government to promulgate a law to get around the apex court verdict. On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the SC, headed by the Chief Justice Dipak Misra, lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine.
