Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3: A dawn-to-dusk 12-hour hartal called by Hindu outfits began Thursday morning in protest against the entry of two women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa .
The hartal, which began at 6 am, has been called by 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). Two women, Kanakadurga (44) and Bindu (42), created history be stepping 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. KSRTC to stay off the roads, Air India issues advisory Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses are expected to stay off the roads, as the right-wing outfits have pledged to enforce a total shutdown in the state on Thursday. Meanwhile, in view of the state-wide bandh and protests, Air India has issued an advisory to its passengers. Auto rickshaw plying As per initial reports, auto-rickshaws and two-wheelers were plying at the railway station in the state capital and various other places. Trade organisations support bandh Meanwhile, traders' organisations and firms operating in the tourism sector in Kerala have announced their decision to boycott Thursday's bandh call, citing financial losses. 28 organisations passed a six-point resolution in a joint meeting to ensure that their tourist services are not disrupted during the hartal. Varsities postpone exams scheduled for today Several universities, including Kerala, Mahatma Gandhi, Calicut and Kannur have postponed their examinations scheduled for Thursday.