#SabarimalaRow: Section 144 imposed ahead of temple's opening
In a bid to prevent the unrest which unfolded when the Sabarimala temple was opened to devotees in October, the Pathanamthitta district administration, on Friday, imposed Section 144 in four areas ahead of the temple's opening. The temple is slated to open for a special prayer on November 5. Earlier, violent protests had prevented women from entering, despite the Supreme Court's verdict. Here's more.
Where Section 144 has been imposed
Section 144, which restricts the gathering of more than four people in public, has been imposed in the areas of Saanidhanam, Pamba, Nilakkal, and Elavunkal from November 4 to November 6. Additionally, the Pathanamthitta district administration has also issued orders to the police, directing them to intensify patrols in the aforementioned areas to ensure that public order is maintained.
Section 144 was also imposed in October owing to protests
Earlier, when the Sabarimala temple was opened to devotees from October 17 to October 22, violent protests broke out in several parts of Kerala as Ayyappa devotees protested against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict, which quashed the ban on the entry of women aged 10-50 years. Owing to the protests, authorities had to impose Section 144 to maintain public order.
In September, the SC broke an 800-year-old tradition
On September 28, the Supreme Court, in a landmark verdict, struck down the ban on the entry of women aged 10-50 years to the Sabarimala temple, thereby breaking an 800-year-old tradition. While the Kerala government tried implementing the ban, Ayyappa devotees, instigated by political parties, staged large scale protests across Kerala. In several instances, protests had turned violent, and protesters had clashed with police.
