Trupti Desai leaves for Pune after police declines to provide security to proceed to Sabarimala Temple

Women Rights activist Trupti Desai on Tuesday left for Pune after police citing security reasons, declined to grant protection to her and other women accompanying her to move forward from Ernakulam towards the Sabarimala Temple.

Desai who landed in Kerala this morning waited at the Ernakulam city police commissioner's office where she had gone seeking police protection to proceed to the hill shrine. She left for Pune after police did not grant her the security.

Desai and her team also faced protests from members of Sabarimala Karma Samithi who staged a protest outside the commissioner's office.

"There is no stay on Sabarimala Temple verdict 2018 and that's the reason we came here to enter Sabarimala Temple today but we had to face a lot of difficulties since morning when we arrived here. Later we reached the Commissioner's office here to seek for protection," said Desai.

Furthermore, Desai asserted that the police had told her that even if she along with other women stayed here with the police protection, they won't be "safe".

"We didn't want to go back but we met the Additional Commissioner, Special Branch officials and the Superintendent of Police and they told us that we can be attacked if we go to the Sabarimala Temple," said Desai.

"Police said that it is a sub judicial matter and they won't provide us with the police protection at all. I think this is wrong, as there's no stay on Supreme Courts verdict (2018) so we should have provided with police protection. Kerala government should also support the government," she added.

Desai further stated that this is the matter of 'women's rights' hence she will continue to come here for the rights of the women.

The activist denied the accusations of her connection with any political party.

"I am not connected to any party. We will again go to Sabarimala, we'll fight and win. We were stopped on the Constitutional Day which is an insult to our constitution," said Desai.

"We seven women came here this morning and whatever happened with Bindu was extremely wrong. She was attacked with chilli powder and spray. We came here as devotees. Some people are blaming us and saying that this is not a place for activism but if God is not stopping us so who are they to stop us," said Desai.

This morning Bindu Ammini, who is one of the two women, who first entered the Sabarimala temple in January this year, was allegedly attacked with chilli pepper spray outside Ernakulam city police commissioner's office.

Desai had said earlier today that she will visit Sabarimala Temple as it is her Constitutional right.