Taslima Nasreen- the controversial Bangladeshi writer wondered why women activists were so eager to enter the Sabarimala temple, which re-opened for a two-month long pilgrimage season on Friday. She suggested that instead they should visit villages where women face several issues.
Commenting about the on-going Sabarimala row, she tweeted, “I do not understand why women activists are so eager to enter Sabarimala. Better they should enter the villages where women suffer from domestic violence, rape, sexual abuse, hate, where girls have no access to education, health care, and no freedom to take a job or get equal pay.”
The writer has been living in exile in India and Europe after having incurred the wrath of the fundamentalists back home in Bangladesh, over the novel ‘Lajja’, written by her in 1994.
On Friday, activist Trupti Desai, who had arrived in Kochi en route to the hill shrine early, had to give up her plans following vehement protests by devotees and others including the BJP, outside the Kochi airport. After much ruckus created by devotes, she was not allowed to come out of the airport with protesters swearing not to let her proceed to the Lord Ayyappa temple.
Later, Trupti Desai and her colleagues announced that they would leave Kochi without visiting the temple. Notably, the temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed widespread protests after the state government decided to implement the September 28 Supreme Court verdict, according to which women of all age groups are allowed to pray at the hill shrine.
Also read: Nashik-based doctor completes Kashmir-Kanyakumari cycle tour in less than 11 days