Taking a ‘U-turn’ on its previous stance, the LDF government in Kerala
is preparing to oppose the 2018 Supreme Court verdict permitting women
of menstruating age to enter into the Sabarimala temple.
Indications are that the CPM-led LDF government is preparing to file
an affidavit in the Supreme Court, moving away from its earlier
pro-women entry stance adopted after the 2018 verdict, towards
supporting the preservation of traditional rituals that prohibit the
entry of women of menstruating age to enter into the Sabarimala
temple. The apex court had sought the government’s position on the
matter.
The CPM state secretariat, which met here on Friday, is learnt to have
recommended the government not to take a stand that alienates
believers. It is learnt that the government will take a decision in
favour of protecting the rituals in the Sabarimala temple at the
cabinet meeting to be held on Friday evening.
This tactical U-turn came as a ” untangling ” measure ahead of the
2026 Kerala Assembly elections, following the massive political
backlash the party faced in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where
critics and the Opposition accused the government of betraying Ayyappa
devotees. The CPM and the state government had previously supported
the entry of young women into the Sabarimala temple
Earlier, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) decided to oppose the
2018 Supreme Court verdict permitting women of menstruating age to
enter into the Sabarimala temple. In its meeting on March 2, it
decided to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing the entry
of women of menstruating age at the Sabarimala temple and to uphold
the tradition, customs and rituals in the shrine. The meeting also
passed a resolution in this regard.