No custom, tradition should stop a citizen from praying: Activist Brinda Adige

Social activist Brinda Adige has welcomed the Kerala government's decision to allow women inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Sabarimala Temple, saying that no custom or tradition should deny the constitutional right of every Indian citizen to pray.

"The present stand that the government has taken is welcomed. Few people are questioning their move, but customs and traditions cannot over rule constitutional right. Constitutional right for a citizen to pray is something no custom or tradition should stop," Adige told ANI.

Adige said the right of women to pray should be upheld and the state government's move ensures that the dignity and equality of women is respected.

The Kerala Government on Monday told the Supreme Court that it is ready to allow women inside the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala Temple. The next hearing in this matter is scheduled to be held on February 20, 2017.

This was the first hearing of the matter after the Supreme Court changed the bench hearing a decade-old petition against the restriction on women aged between 10 and 50 from entering the temple's sanctum sanctorum.

Earlier, a three-judge Bench that included Justices Dipak Misra, Gopala V. Gowda and Kurian Joseph, was replaced by Justices Dipak Misra, C. Nagappan and R. Banumathi on July 11.

A total of 10 Supreme Court judges, sitting in various combinations, have already heard the case since it was first filed in 2006.

Earlier, the Bombay High Court had directed that the Maharashtra Government to ensure that women are not denied entry to the temple.

Defending the ban, the Sabarimala Temple administration said the tradition is connected to essential religious practices.

Supporting them, the Kerala Government told the court that beliefs and customs of devotees cannot be changed through a judicial process and that the opinion of the priests is final in matters of religion.