Mumbai: Ayyappa devotees protest against SC Sabarimala verdict

Ayyappa devotees from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai Saturday held a protest at Azad Maidan here demanding that the Kerala government issue an ordinance to protect age-old rituals of Sabarimala Temple.

The Supreme Court, last month, had struck down a rule that disallowed girls and women in the age group of 10-50 years from entering the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.

The apex court had said in its order that the rule violated women's right to equality and worship.

The protest in Mumbai Saturday also sought that the Kerala government and the Devaswom Board (temple board) file review petitions against the SC verdict.

The organisers of the protest said that a memorandum on the issue would be submitted to Maharashtra Governor C VIdyasagar Rao as well as the President of India and the Kerala government.

A statement from the organisers said that an online portal planned to collect one crore signatures from people asking the Kerala government to file a review petition.

Among those who attended the protest rally here were Krishnanand Saraswati of the Ramdasa Mission, VHP national spokesperson Shriraj Nair and president of the All India Pravasi Balagokulam, Harindran Masha.