Faith of crores of devotees not considered: Bhagwat on Sabarimala verdict

The Sabarimala verdict has given rise to unrest, turmoil and divisiveness in the society in place of peace, stability and equality, the RSS chief said

Amid ongoing protests at Sabarimala, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Thursday said the Supreme Court verdict has not taken into consideration the nature and premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society and has given rise to "divisiveness" in society.

He said questions such as why only the Hindu society experiences such repeated and brazen onslaughts on its symbols of faith, obviously arise in the public's mind and lead to unrest.

"This situation is not at all conducive for the peace and healthiness of the society," the Sarsanghchalak said in his annual Vijayadashmi address, the last before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, at the RSS headquarters here.

Decisions taken without considering all aspects and patiently creating mindset of the society will neither be adopted in actual practice nor will they help in creating a new social order, in tune with changing times and positions, he said.

"The situation arising out of the recent verdict on Sabrimala temple shows a similar predicament. The nature and premise of the tradition that has been accepted by society and continuously followed for years together were not taken into consideration," Bhagwat said.

"The version of heads of religious denominations and faith of crores of devotees was not taken into account. The plea by a large section of women, who follow this tradition, was not heard too," he noted.

The verdict has given rise to unrest, turmoil and divisiveness in the society in place of peace, stability and equality, the RSS chief said.

Bhagwat said, "Nowhere in the world, healthy and peaceful social life has ever thrived and can thrive merely based on laws and fear of punishment."

On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra, lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine located in Kerala.

The iron gates of the temple opened Wednesday for the first time since the court order, but none from the "banned" age group could make it to its hallowed precincts amid a welter of protests and violent clashes.

Women journalists were heckled, their vehicles smashed and young female devotees turned back as hordes of Hindu right activists besieged the road leading to the hill- top temple, abode to Lord Ayyappa.