Sabarimala:SC’s verdict to be implemented, anyone who wants to go will be protected, says Kerala CM

New Delhi, Oct 16: Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that the Supreme Court's verdict on Sabarimala temple will be implemented and anyone who wants to go will be protected. He also said that the government will not file any review petition against the court order.

Speaking to media, Vijayan said,''We will not allow any one take law & order in their hands. The government will ensure facilities to devotees to go to Sabarimala Temple and offer prayers. Government will not submit a review petition. We've said in court that we'll implement the order.''

The Supreme Court had, in its September 28 decision, allowed the entry of women between the age group of 10-50 at the Sabarimala temple. The SC had set October 17 as the date for starting the entry of women at Sabarimala.

Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board, the body that administers the shrine is slated to hold a meeting of all the stakeholders, including the Tantri (head priest) family, Pandalam royals and Ayyappa Seva Sangam, on Tuesday. They are likely to seek postponement of the date of opening of the shrine to December. The BJP-RSS have been targetting the state government, calling the decision and the implementation, a conspiracy to kill the tradition at the historic shrine.

Women between the age group of 10-50 have been barred from entering the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala as the devotees believe that Lord Ayyappan resides in the temple in an eternal celibate status.