Rightwing Hindu outfits have called for a dawn to dusk hartal in Kerala on Saturday in protest against the arrest of a senior Sangh Parivar leader who was on the pilgrimage to Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.
Hindu Aikyavedi state President KP Sasikala was arrested by police near Marakkoottam near Sabarimala last night when she was on her way to Sabarimala temple.
Carrying the customary holy kit 'Irumudi Kettu' on her head, Sasikala was stopped by the police near the temple. She was asked not to proceed any further as the temple had closed at 10 p.m, but Sasikala refused to do so.
She was taken into preventive custody and currently Sasikala was lodged at the Ranni police station.
"She was arrested as she was on the way to the hill shrine carrying irumudikkettu (bundle carrying sacred offerings) to offer prayers. Some other activists have been taken into preventive custody," VHP state president S J R Kumar quoted as saying.
He accused the Kerala government of trying to destroy the Sabarimala temple.
The VHP leader said essential services and vehicles of Ayyappa devotees will not be affected by the hartal.
Unprecedented security arrangements have been made at the shrine, which opened for the third time Friday for the two-month-long pilgrimage season commencing Saturday after the Supreme Court allowed women of menstrual age to offer prayers.
The temple opened Friday amid a tense standoff involving social activist Trupti Desai in Kochi and a move by its administrator to seek time from the Supreme Court to implement its verdict.
The 41-day mandalam festival will conclude on December 27 after Mandala pooja, when the shrine will close after the 'Athazhapuja' in the evening. It would reopen for the Makaravilakku festival on December 30.
The Makaravilakku festival would be celebrated on January 14 after which the shrine will close on January 20, marking the culmination of the pilgrim season, when laksh of devotees are expected to throng the shrine.
The temple complex and nearby areas had witnessed widespread protests after the state government decided to implement the September 28 apex court verdict.
Some 500 women have registered themselves to visit the shrine after the Supreme Court in September allowed the entry of women between 10 and 50 years.
However, no girl or woman in the previously banned age group could offer prayers so far following stiff resistance by devotees and activists, opposing any change in the temple traditions.
On Friday, activist Trupti Desai had to spend an entire day at Kochi airport as she was prevented from leaving the airport by protesters opposing entry of menstrual age women into the Lord Ayyappa shrine. She aborted her attempt after over 14-hour stand-off.
The Supreme Court is slated to hear petitions seeking review of its September 28 order in January, but has refused to stay it.
PTI
