: The Opposition Congress led UDF Saturday held women's 'Sangamams' (meetings) in all 14 districts and in front of the Secretariat here to counter the 'women's wall' of the CPI(M)-led LDF on January 1 and the "Ayyappa Jyothi" organised by BJP and right outfits recently.
The 'Women's wall" has been planned by the government from Kasaragod to the state capital on January 1 to protect renaissance values and garner support for its decision to implement the Supreme Court verdict, allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa.
The BJP and right outfits had on December 26 lit thousands of "Ayyappa Jyothies" (lamps) across the state to protect the rituals and traditions of Sabarimala.
Inaugurating the meeting in front of the secretariat here, opposition leader in the assembly Ramesh Chennithala, said that the "women's wall" would only divide people on the basis of caste and 'take the state back to the dark ages.'
The first phase of the two month long 'Mandala puja' came to a close at the Ayyappa temple on December 27
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content