The Kerala Police have said that no special security would be given to activist Trupti Desai who had sought protection to visit the Sabarimala temple after the Supreme Court allowed all women to enter the hill shrine.
The Lord Ayyappa shrine will re-open for the two-month Madala-Makaravilaku puja on Saturday and the activist will arrive in Kochi on Friday.
She had sent an email to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday, seeking security as she fears an attack on her life. The CM's office forwarded it to the officials concerned. However, the police on Thursday said that Trupti would be treated like any other women pilgrim and no special consideration would be given to her.
"We will not return to Maharashtra without darshan at the Sabarimala temple," she said, adding, "We have faith in the government that it will provide security for us."
"It is the responsibility of the state government and the police to provide protection and take us to the temple as the Supreme Court has allowed women of all ages to offer prayers at the shrine," she added. Apart from protection, she had also sought arrangements for food and travel.
Desai has also sent a mail to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to ensure security for her visit to the shrine.
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Desai had spearheaded the campaign for women to be allowed into various religious places, including Shani Shingnapur Temple, the Haji Ali Dargah, the Mahalakshmi Temple and the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple.
Meanwhile, Rahul Easwar, president of Ayyappa Dharma Sena, which is among the organisations protesting the entry of women of all ages at the shrine, said devotees would resist through 'Gandhian means' any attempt by Desai and her group to trek the holy shrine and offer prayers.
"We will lie down on the floor. We will protest and at all costs prevent them from offering prayers at the shrine," he said.
The temple had witnessed a string of protests from the main opposition Congress, the BJP, the RSS and other right-wing outfits against the CPI(M)-led LDF government's decision to implement the September 28 apex court verdict, lifting the centuries-old ban on the entry of women in the 10-50 age group.
The shrine was opened for four days in October and two days this month for monthly pujas when the protests were held.
