NEW DELHI: Kerala minister VN Vasavan on Saturday said the CPM-led LDF government continues to stand by the affidavit it filed in the Supreme Court in 2007 on the Sabarimala women’s entry issue, while accusing the BJP of being responsible for the 2018 verdict allowing women of menstruating age into the shrine.Responding to queries on the affidavit to be filed before a nine-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, Vasavan said the government’s position remains unchanged — that the question of allowing women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala temple should be decided by experts in ritualistic matters, news agency PTI reported.”We had stated in our 2007 affidavit that the matter should be determined by experts in ritualistic traditions.
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We continue to maintain that stand,” the minister said.He clarified that the Supreme Court has not sought the state government’s position on women’s entry at present, but has asked for clarification on certain constitutional questions. The state has entrusted the Advocate General and constitutional experts to submit its response before the court, he added.Vasavan also blamed lawyers associated with the BJP for triggering the legal battle that led to the Supreme Court’s 2018 verdict permitting women of all ages to enter the hill shrine. “It was young lawyers linked to the BJP who approached the Supreme Court and later hailed the verdict as historic. Now they are taking a different stand,” he alleged.The minister rejected allegations that the LDF government had taken special interest in facilitating women’s entry into the temple following the 2018 ruling, saying the state had only implemented the Supreme Court’s order.”If the apex court gives a verdict, how can we oppose it? The women’s entry was the decision of the Supreme Court,” he said.The 2018 ruling sparked widespread protests across Kerala, and the Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions seeking a review of the verdict.Meanwhile, CPM general secretary MA Baby said the LDF government had implemented the court’s directive in 2018 as it was legally bound to do so.“At that time, there was hardly any political party that did not welcome the verdict. Later, some of them changed their stand,” he said, adding that the court itself is now reconsidering the earlier judgment.He also said that when issues involving religious traditions are examined, the views of ritual experts and social reformers acceptable to the public could also be considered.On the other hand, BJP state general secretary MT Ramesh claimed the Kerala government’s fresh affidavit amounted to an admission of its earlier mistake.“The BJP demands that the state government apologise to Ayyappa devotees,” he said, questioning why the government had changed its stance after strongly supporting reforms in 2018.Ramesh further alleged that more than 10,000 cases were registered against people who participated in protests during the agitation over the Sabarimala issue and demanded that these cases be withdrawn in light of the government’s new position.
