Two women trek to Ayyappa temple; return back amid threat from head priest

Agencies
October 19, 2018

Kochi, Oct 19: Amid threat by Thantri to lock the Ayyappa temple, protests by Assistant Priests and several devotees forced two women, including a Journalist of Mojo TV to give up their attempt to enter the world famous hill shrine at Sabarimala on Friday.

UNI report from Sabarimala said, When they reached Valiya Nada Pandal, just 100 metre away from the shrine, a large number of devotees prevented them.

Reports said the two women covered a five km trek uphill and were minutes away from the 18 steps-- the golden steps-- that lead to the sanctum sanctorum of the famous shrine. On these steps about 20 priests sat, chanted and clapped and not allowed the two women to go ahead.

The two women earlier trekked to Sabarimala Shrine escorted by 100 policemen in riot gear. 

The 20-year old women Journo, who is in police attire, was given the massive security, including commandos, led by Inspector-General Sreejith.

Though the IG requested the devotees to co-operate with the police to implement the SC order, allowing the entry for women of all ages to the shrine, the devotees continued to protest and began a sit-in dharna blocking women entry.

The IG also informed the devotees that the police is not willing to exert force against them hurting their relgious sentiments.

Meanwhile, Devaswom Board Minister Kadakampally Surendran told newspersons that the government has no plan to hurt the sentiments of believers and it will also protect the constitutional rights of believers.

He said the government will not allow any activist to create problems and hurt the beliefs of Lord Ayyappa Devotees.

Mr Surendran also clarified that the Government will not support exerting force on devotees who are not the members of Sangh Parivar. "We respect the rights of true believers," he added.

Talking to newspersons in Sabarimala earlier, the women Journalist Kavitha Jakkal said she had the right to go Sannidanam in the wake of SC verdict allowing entry for women of all ages into the temple.

Normally women journalists used to perform their duties from Pamba, up to that place women are allowed to reach, as per the customs and traditions, sources of Pandalam Palace and Tantri Family said.

The two trekked to the shrine since the temple opened for the first time after the Supreme court overturned a centuries-old ban on women between 10-50 years of age. Not a single woman in that age group has managed to enter the temple since Wednesday, the report added. 

A UNI report from Kochi said, As the situation was not conducive and the decision of the government to protect the interest of the devotees at any cost and not to give any support to women to design their strength, they had decided to back to Pampa, the base camp of Sabarimala after one-hour-long discussion with the police.

The IG also met the two women and informed them about the ground reality and consequences of a lathicharge against the Devotees at Sannidanam. He also requested them to return to Pamba base citing the grave situation.

After a long confusion and confrontation, the police took them back to Pamba, easing the tension that mounted at Sannidhanam.

The Thantri had given the ultimatum to the police that in case if women were allowed to enter Sabarimala, then they had no other choice but to close down the temple to prevent any violation of century-old tradition.

Earlier, for the first time in the history of Sabarimala, the assistants priests, numbering around 35, boycotted the poojas.

This was the third time in a row, after the temple opened for monthly poojas on October 17, that the agitating devotees prevented women entering Sabarimala Sannidhanam.

Rahna Fathima, the second women to trek the hill shrine today and a native of Kochi and an employee of BSNL, also said to be an activist, along with a TV journalist from Hyderabad.

The Devaswom Minister also blamed the police for their failure to identify activist Rahana Fathima, who is known for anti-Sabarimala posts in Facebook and other social media.

Earlier, on the first day, a 45-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh, Madhavi, clad in normal dress against the traditional dress of black, was laid by the devotees and forced to give up her attempt. 

On Thursday a New York Time Delhi Reporter Suhasini Raj had tried to enter Sabarimla with police escort, had to wind up from Marakoottam because of the resistance by the devotees.
Following heavy lathicharge on Wednesday afternoon, the District authorities had imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC at four places - Elavunkal, Nilakkal, Pamba and Sannidanam for the next two days.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday said that the safety and security of the pilgrims at Sabarimala temple is the responsibility of the State Government.

“An advisory is already in place apprehending a law and order issue after the Supreme Court verdict on the entry of women at the said temple. The Ministry sent an advisory to the Kerala Government on October 15”, a senior MHA official told UNI. 

The fact that the state government would be in direct contempt of SC’s decision if female devotees of any age are stopped from entering the temple has also been impressed upon the State Government, he added.

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News Network
May 27,2020

Mumbai, May 27: The Maharashtra government on Tuesday ordered re investigation by the CID into the suicide of a 53-year-old interior designer and his mother, allegedly over non-payment of dues by TV journalist Arnab Goswami and two others.

State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said he ordered re investigation after Adnya Naik, daughter of interior designer Anvay Naik, claimed that Alibag Police in neighbouring Raigad district did not probe the non-payment of dues which had driven her father and grandmother to suicide.

"Adnya Naik had complained to me that #AlibaugPolice had not investigated non-payment of dues from #ArnabGoswami's @republic which drove her entrepreneur father & grandmom to suicide in May 2018," Deshmukh tweeted.

"I've ordered a CID re-investigation of the case," the minister, an NCP leader, added.

He also used the hashtag "Maharashtra government cares" while sharing the tweet. Earlier this month, the police registered an abetment of suicide case against Republic TV editor-in-chief Goswami and two others.

The suicide note purportedly written by Anvay Naik, managing director of Concorde Designs Private Limited, said he was forced to take his life as he was not paid dues of Rs 5.40 crore by the three accused.

Republic TV denied the allegation and said that certain vested interest groups were running "a false and malicious campaign and making false statements and innuendos against the company by exploiting the tragic event".

Mumbai Police are also conducting a probe against Goswami over his statements about the Palghar lynching case of April this year.

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Agencies
June 5,2020

Malappuram, Jun 5: A lawyer has filed a complaint with Superintendent of Police, Malappuram against BJP leader Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against Malappuram district and its residents.

Advocate Subhash Chandran, who hails from Malappuram, on Thursday filed a complaint seeking registration of FIR against former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and others for allegedly indulging in a hate campaign against Malappuram and the residents of the district.

The complainant alleged that the campaign against the district was very derogatory and with a malafide intent.

The complaint stated that the unfortunate death of an elephant in Mannarkkad, Palakkad District dominated social media conversations in the last two days but a group of people deliberately added communal colour into it only to spread hatred against Malappuram, which is a Muslim majority district in Kerala.

It also stated that the elephant in question died on May 29, 2020, in Palakkad not in Malappuram as claimed by a section in social media users. Prominent news outlets operating from the South also reported that the elephant died after consuming explosive-laden pineapple in Palakkad.

The complaint also named political commentator, Tarek Fatah, for allegedly starting a hate campaign against the district and the minority community.

It alleged that Union Minister Maneka Gandhi made false and frivolous allegations against the district of Malappuram and its residents.

Chandran, through the complaint, prayed to the district police chief to register an FIR against Maneka Gandhi and others under Section 153A, 120B etc. of Indian Penal Code.

An elephant had died after she ate the pineapple stuffed with crackers and forest officials said that it died standing in river Velliyar after it suffered an injury in its lower jaw.

The elephant was seen standing in the river with her mouth and trunk in the water for some relief from the pain after the explosive-filled fruit exploded in her mouth.

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News Network
February 24,2020

New Delhi, Feb 24: The shared values between India and the US are "discrimination, bigotry, and hostility towards refugees and asylum seekers", Amnesty International USA said in a joint statement with Amnesty International India ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to India on Monday.

Trump, accompanied by his wife Melania, daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner as well as senior officials of his administration, landed in Ahmedabad on the first leg of his two-day visit to India.

"Anti-Muslim sentiment permeates the policies of both U.S. and Indian leaders. For decades, the U.S.-India relationship was anchored by claims of shared values of human rights and human dignity. Now, those shared values are discrimination, bigotry, and hostility towards refugees and asylum seekers,” Margaret Huang, Amnesty International USA’s executive director, was quoted as saying in the statement.

It was a reference to the anti-CAA protests in India, the internet lockdown in Jammu and Kashmir and the Muslim ban expansion by President Trump affecting Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania, the statement said.

It added that Amnesty International USA’s researchers travelled to Lebanon and Jordan to conduct nearly 50 interviews with refugees that as a result of the previous version of the ban have been stranded in countries where they face restrictive policies, increasingly hostile environments, and lack the same rights as permanent residents or citizens.

The statement also came down hard on the Indian government, hitting out at the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019 and saying it legitimises discrimination based on religious grounds.

It criticised statements such as “identify them (the protestors) by their clothes” or “shoot the traitors” by Prime Minister Modi and his party workers. Such remarks "peddled the narrative of fear and division that has fuelled further violence", it said.

“The internet and political lockdown in Kashmir has lasted for months and the enactment of CAA and the crackdown on protests has shown a leadership that is lacking empathy and a willingness to engage. We call on President Trump and Prime Minister Modi to work with the international community and address our concerns in their bilateral conversations,” Avinash Kumar, executive director, Amnesty International India said in the statement.

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