RSS welcomes SC ruling on Sabarimala; says issue is not about

Welcoming the Supreme Court's decision to refer Sabarimala case to a larger bench, the RSS on Thursday said the restrictions on women's entry in the famous Kerala shrine have nothing to do with gender discrimination.

Arun Kumar, Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, said on the organisation's Twitter handle that "matters related to traditions and customs are issues of faith and belief".

"We welcome the Supreme Court decision to accept the review Petition and refer the matter to a larger Constitutional Bench," he tweeted.

"Matters related to traditions and customs are issues of faith and belief. Restriction of women belonging to a particular age-group to the Sabarimala shrine has nothing to (do) with gender inequality or discrimination, and that is strictly based on the speciality of the deity," the senior RSS leader said.

"We are of the firm view that the judicial review under whatever pretext in the matter will be violative of the spirit of the freedom of worship guaranteed by our Constitution.

"And the opinion of concerned authorities should be given paramount consideration in such matters," Kumar tweeted.

In a 3:2 majority verdict, the Supreme Court Thursday referred to a larger 7-judge bench the pleas seeking review of its historic 2018 judgment allowing women and girls of all ages to enter Kerala's Sabarimala temple, along with other contentious issues of alleged discrimination against Muslim and Parsi women.