The house of Manju Pambayil, who reached Pampa for visiting Sabarimala temple has been attacked by BJP activists and Hindu militants. The attackers trespassed to her house and threw house equipment outside. They also pelted stones at her house.
Manju is the state president of Kerala Dalit Mahila Federation, the women’s arm of Dalit outfit Kerala Dalit Federation. She has been at the forefront of Dalit right movements.
The Kerala police is likely to do background checks on Manju and reconsider her wish to visit on Sunday. When Manju insisted and told the police that she was a devotee, the police officers went into a huddle. Emerging after a meeting with Manju, speaking to media persons, Inspector General of Police S Sreejith said that a final call on whether to provide police protection to Manju would be announced on Sunday following a background verification.
Background check of Manju, by Kerala Police is discriminatory and unacceptable. Make it compulsory for all who want to go to Sabarimala or none. Why single her out only because she is a woman.
Writer NS Madhavan posted on Social Media.
Though there is no connection between having criminal cases pending, the SC’s order and the right to ascend the Sabarimala, Kerala police is reluctant to provide security to someone with criminal cases files pending against them.
Previously, protestors and Sangh goons have blocked the entry of women activists and journalists despite heavy police presence.
The Supreme Court recently granted women of all ages the right to enter the Sabarimala temple, reversing the Kerala shrine’s tradition of barring girls and women of menstruating age—10-50 years.
