Sabarimala row: Trupti Desai detained after threatening to stop PM's convoy

Trumpti Desai claimed that detaining her would be a violation of her democratic right to protest

Women activist Trupti Desai was detained by the Pune Police on Friday morning after she, along with other women activists, threatened to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy.

Her detention comes a day after she wrote a letter to Ahmednagar Superintendent of Police demanding a meeting with Prime Minister Modi to discuss Sabrimala issue.

Trupti, who is leading the protest for women's entry into Sabarimala temple, also threatened to block Prime Minister Modi's convoy if he doesn't meet her.

Minutes before her detention, Trupti told ANI, "Despite the Supreme Court's verdict, the women are not being allowed to enter Sabarimala Temple. Even the journalists who went there for coverage were assaulted. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming to Shirdi and I want to meet and ask him that if everyone can safely go to Shirdi Sai Temple without any fear, then why same can't happen at Sabarimala. If he wouldn't meet me, we have plans of stopping his convoy to make our request to him."

Claiming that detaining her would be a violation of her democratic right to protest, she further said, "Police has come to detain me while I was leaving for Shirdi early morning. If a similar strict action would have happened in Kerala, today women might have gone to Sabarimala temple. I have the right to protest and with this detention, police are trying to suppress our democratic right."

However, the police maintained that Desai was detained owing to security concerns.

"Because of security reasons, we have requested her not to go to Shirdi. If she forcibly tries to leave, necessary measures will be taken to deter her," said Police Inspector Vijay Puranik.

On Thursday, activist Rahul Easwar was arrested from Nilakkal base camp and a non-bailable FIR was registered against him for stopping women from entering the temple premises. After the arrest, he was kept at the Pamba police station.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Shirdi in Maharashtra on and will unveil the plaque to mark the laying of a foundation stone for various development works of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust. Furthermore, he will release a silver coin to commemorate the centenary year of Shri Saibaba Samadhi.