'Must advise women to not enter Sabarimala'

Shashi Verma, a member of the Pandalam Royal family, on Thursday stated that because the Kerala government cannot legally restrict the entry of women of menstruating age inside the premises of Sabrimala Temple, other measures like advising women to not enter the temple will have to be resorted to.

His comments came after a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Pinnarayi Vijayan. Addressing the media following the meeting, Verma said, "We must ensure that women during periods don't come to the temple. Since SC order is there, the government can't do anything directly or legally. So, CM is saying you can advise them not to come."

Verma further stated that their stance of not lifting the ban on the entry of women into the Lord Ayappa shrine has not changed, adding that they did not favour the government's proposal to open the sanctum sanctorum on separate days specifically for the entry of women aged between 10 to 50.

Vijayan had, earlier in the day, called for an all-party meeting to discuss the growing concerns regarding the issue. However, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) walked out of the meeting as their demands were not met.

The two parties were calling for the state government to stay the ban till the 49 petitions, filed in the Supreme Court to review its historic judgment, have been heard in the apex court. The court will hear the petitions on January 22 next year.

The annual Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage will start tomorrow and last till January 17.

Verma further expressed concerns over law and order in the state if the ban is not re-imposed. "It is not a matter of two or three days, it's about 64 days. If women come, some law and order problems may arise. The government has to bring this to the notice of the Supreme Court," Verma said.