Kerala Minister suspects 'conspiracy' by Trupti Desai to disrupt peace at Sabarimala

Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Tuesday suspected conspiracy by a group led by women rights activist Trupti Desai to disrupt peace at Sabarimala.

"I suspect that there is a conspiracy by a group led by Trupti Desai to disrupt peace at Sabarimala. Her coming here and the attack on activist Bindu Ammini were all part of a pre-planned agenda. The government will not allow this to happen," Surendran told media.

Ammini is one of the two women, who first entered the Sabarimala temple in January this year, and was allegedly attacked outside Ernakulam city police commissioner's office, on Tuesday morning.

Surendran said that he believes that the visit of Desai and the attack on Ammini were all part of a pre-planned 'agenda'. "The main aim behind all this is to disrupt the peaceful pilgrimage season... There is a proper agenda and script behind this," he said.

Earlier today, Trupti Desai said that she will visit Sabarimala Temple as it is her Constitutional right.

Speaking to ANI, Desai said: "Today is the Constitution Day and on this day, we will go to Sabarimala temple as it is our right."

Accompanied by several other women, she added, "The rights under the Constitution allow us to pray to God and the right to equality, which is somewhere taken away from us despite the Supreme Court's order that there is no stay on women's entry in Sabarimala temple. So we will go inside the temple today."

The Supreme Court had lifted a traditional ban on entry of women of menstrual age (10-50 years) on September 28 last year.

Despite the apex court's ruling, a string of protests took place at the Sabarimala temple and its surrounding areas in the state, when several women attempted to visit the shrine but were stopped by Lord Ayyappa devotees.