Sabarimala row: Cops fire tear gas at violent agitators

Agencies
January 2, 2019

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2: Police fired tear gas, stun grenades and water cannon as protests and clashes erupted across the southern state of Kerala after two women entered the flashpoint Sabarimala temple, local media reported.

Violent clashes were reported between scores of people in front of the state parliament in Thiruvananthapuram, while protests with sporadic violence were also reported in several other towns across the state.

A tense standoff lasting more than four hours in Thiruvananthapuram was ongoing, with neither side showing any sign of backing down as rival groups shouted slogans.

Police with batons also charged at protestors who were trying to enforce a shutdown of shops in the area. Several policemen were injured as protesters threw stones.

Cloaked in black veils and shrouded in the early morning darkness, two women of menstruating age group made history on Wednesday when they stepped into the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa, breaking centuries-old tradition-defying dire threats from the Hindu right.

The women--Kanakadurga and Bindu--aged 44 and 42, stepped into the hallowed precincts guarded by police three months after the Supreme Court's historic judgement lifting the ban on entry of girls and women between 10 and 50 years of age into the shrine of Lord Ayyappa, its "eternally celibate" deity.

The women, draped in black and faces covered in veils, entered the temple at 3:38 am, a day after over 35 lakh women stood shoulder-to-shoulder across the national highways in Kerala, creating a 620 km-long human 'wall' from the northern end of Kasaragod to the southern tip in Thiruvananthapuram as part of the state-sponsored initiative to uphold gender equality.

As the news spread like wildfire from the hill shrine, protests erupted at several places, with Hindu right-wing activists blocking highways and forcing the closure of shops and markets.

Sabarimala Karma Samithi, an umbrella organisation of various pro-Hindutva groups, spearheading protests against the Supreme Court's September 28 verdict, and Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad (AHP), have called a state-wide shutdown on Thursday.

Soon after some local TV news channels aired visuals of the two women trekking to the hilltop temple, Chief Minister Piranayi Vijayan, whose Left Front government is weathering a storm of protests by hardline Ayyappa devotees over his determination to enforce the apex court verdict, announced they had indeed offered prayers at the shrine.

"Earlier, women were not able to enter the temple due to certain hurdles. They may have entered the shrine today because they would not have faced any issues. It is a fact that the women have entered Sabarimala. Police have given them security," a visibly pleased Vijayan said.

The development did not go down well with the temple authorities, with the head priest ordering devotees out of the premises and closing doors to the sanctum sanctorum. He performed a "purification" ritual for an hour before the doors were opened again.

The women were whisked away from the temple by police soon after 'darshan'. They were brought to Pathanamthitta from where they left for an undisclosed destination, officials said.

Police contingents have been posted at the residences of Bindu, a college lecturer and CPI(ML) activist from Kozhikode district's Koyilandy, and Kanakadurga, a civil supplies department employee from Angadipuram in Malappuram.

Scores of women had made valiant attempts to visit the shrine since the Supreme Court verdict but were forced to retreat, menaced by hardline Ayyappa devotees.

Bindu later said the duo faced no protests from Ayyappa devotees, either during the climb or while offering prayers.

"Unlike in the past, there were no 'namajapa' (frenzied devotees chanting Ayyappa mantras) protests when we climbed the hills this morning. Only devotees were there and they did not stop us or stage any protests. Police offered us protection from Pamba, the foothills" she told a tv channel.

She said they wore the attire meant for women for Ayyappa 'darshan'.

Nobody knows exactly when girls and women of reproductive age were forbidden from offering prayers at Sabarimala, but according to a 19th-century British survey report the ban was in place even 200 years ago.

The informal restriction had got legal ratification and acceptance following a Kerala High Court judgement in 1991.

The Hindu right-wing organisations were up in arms against the government over the entry of the two women into the temple, with their activists disrupting vehicular movement on Kasargod-Mangaluru highway, while BJP workers took out a march outside the state secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram which turned violent.

Black flags were shown to Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran at Guruvayur and Health minister K K Shylaja at Kannur by the BJP and its youth wing activists.

Police broke up the protests at the secretariat and arrested some women.

Protesters allegedly attacked police and media personnel in Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.

Holding Ayyappa portraits and chanting hymns to the Lord, protesters marched through the streets at several places including Kochi, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.

Reacting to the entry of the two women into the temple, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said it showed the "headstrong attitude" of the chief minister. P S Sreedharan Pillai said the CPI-M-led government had "betrayed" the sentiments of Ayyappa devotees.

Women's rights activist Trupti Desai, the leader of Bhumata Brigade who led the campaign for women to be allowed to offer prayers in Maharashtra's Shani Shingnapur temple, Haji Ali Dargah, Mahalakshmi temple and Trimbakeshwar Shiva temple, hailed the courage of the two women.

"This is a big victory for our agitation. Victory of equality...This is a good beginning for women in the new year," Desai told news agency from Pune.

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News Network
October 29,2024

Mangaluru: A fraud case involving ₹43.32 lakh has been reported at the CEN station, where an individual was deceived under the guise of investment opportunities. 

The victim was promised high returns from stock and Initial Public Offering (IPO) transactions.

According to the complaint, the victim received a WhatsApp message on September 25 from an unknown sender identifying himself as Manju Pachisi, an Assistant at IIFL Securities Limited. 

The sender encouraged the victim to invest by sharing an online link, claiming significant profits could be earned from stock and IPO transactions.

Additionally, another link was sent via the Telegram app. Trusting the information, the victim transferred a total of ₹43.32 lakh in phases between September 26 and October 23. 

However, when he attempted to withdraw his funds, he was informed that he needed to pay a 25 percent commission. Realizing he had been duped, the victim promptly filed a complaint with the authorities.

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News Network
November 3,2024

Mangaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar emphasized the urgent need for local job creation and a dedicated tourism policy to address communal tensions and rejuvenate the Dakshina Kannada region. 

He spoke during "Ashoka Jan-Mana," a clothing distribution event organized by Rai Estates Educational and Charitable Trust, under the leadership of MLA Ashok Rai, at Kombettu’s taluk stadium in Puttur on Saturday.

“There are challenges to communal harmony across the coastal and interior regions of Dakshina Kannada. To counter these issues, we must provide opportunities for our youth," Shivakumar stated. "The government is considering a specialized tourism policy for the coastal areas to attract more visitors and retain local talent."

Shivakumar expressed concern about a rising trend among local youth to migrate to Saudi Arabia, Mumbai, and Bengaluru due to limited job opportunities in the area. "Communal disturbances have also discouraged students from other districts from enrolling in our institutions, and several banks that originated here have closed down," he said.

Highlighting the region's potential, Shivakumar remarked, “Dakshina Kannada is home to many temples and boasts a rich coastline. Yet, despite Mangaluru having a major port, we still lack five-star hotels. Developing tourism here will be essential for creating jobs and fostering harmony.”

He also hinted at development projects proposed by Ashok Rai for Puttur, which are currently under wraps due to by-election restrictions. Assuring commitment, Shivakumar said, “Although we secured only two seats in Dakshina Kannada, we are committed to developing all constituencies in the region.”

The Deputy Chief Minister concluded with a powerful message on leadership, likening Ashok Rai to a modern embodiment of ancient virtues. “For success, one should have Dharmaraya's righteousness, Karna's generosity, Arjuna's focus, Vidura's ethics, Bhima's strength, and Krishna's strategy. Ashok Rai has all these qualities," he said, praising Rai’s dedication to the people of Dakshina Kannada.

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News Network
October 29,2024

Bengaluru: Following allegations by a section of farmers from Vijayapura district that their lands were marked as Waqf properties, Karnataka Chief Minister Sidddaramaiah on Tuesday said none of them will be evicted, and notices issued to them will be withdrawn.

"No farmer will be evicted from their land. Yesterday Revenue Minister (Krishna Byre Gowda), M B Patil (Industries and Vijayapura district in-charge Minister) and Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan have jointly said that no farmer from Vijayapura will be evicted from their land," Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said in case notices have been issued to farmers, they will be withdrawn.

Responding to a question that similar notices have been issued to farmers in Yadgir and Dharwad districts too, the CM said: "I will ask the Revenue Minister to look into it, nowhere farmers will be evicted."

Seeking to clarify "confusion" over 1,200 acres in Honavada of Tikota taluk being marked as Waqf property, M B Patil had recently said it was due to an “error” in the gazette notification.

He also had said only 11 acres out of the 1,200 acres are Waqf properties, and a task force headed by the Deputy Commissioner will be formed to resolve the issues.

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