The Kerala police and various Hindu organisations are set for another face-off as the Sabarimala hill shrine will reopen for a day on November 5 for a special puja.

Neither the State government nor the organisations are willing to review their stance on the Supreme Court verdict that allows women of all ages access to the hill shrine.

Monday could prove crucial for the government, the police and the Hindu organisations led by the NDA-BJP-RSS.

The temple will reopen on November 16 for the annual Mandala Puja-Makaravilakku festival.

Further developments

Meanwhile, there have been two developments on Friday. First, was the recovery of a body that Hindu organisations claim is of a devotee who was tortured by the police during riotsat the Nilakkal base camp last month. The police have denied the accusations. They have warned of strict action against spreading rumours.

The BJP called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Pathanamthitta district on Friday against the ‘high-handedness’ of the police.

Second, the Nair Service Society (NSS) office was stoned and a statue of a Hindu sage and social reformer Chattampi Swamikal desecrated.

G Sukumaran Nair, Secretary of NSS, in a sharp reaction said he knew who carried out the assault, but did not mention any names. In recent times, NSS’s relation with the Pinarayi Vijayan’s Leftist government have soured over the Sabarimala issue. The NSS said it maintains an equidistant policy with political parties, but has chosen to side with the spontaneous outpouring of emotions the apex court verdict on Sabarimala.

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