Kochi, Nov 1 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Thursday appreciated the stand of the Kerala government in upholding the Supreme Court verdict that allowed all women to pray at the Sabarimala temple.
The High Court was hearing a bunch of petitions demanding that status quo be maintained at the temple till the apex court hears the various review petitions.
But the High Court said that the state government had only abided by what the apex court had directed and that the state government cannot wait till the review petitions were heard.
But representatives of 126 various Hindu groups and the BJP maintained that the temple traditions -- keeping away women in the age group of 10 to 50 -- should remain.
The temple opens for a day on November 5. It would be a week before the numerous review petitions come up before the apex court on November 13 against the September 28 verdict that opened the temple doors to all women.
Kerala BJP President P.S. Sreedharan Pillai said the BJP won't wait for the outcome of the review petitions.
"Our party's stand is not going to be based on its outcome. The temple traditions can be easily kept intact if the Kerala government comes up with a resolution that the temple traditions should remain intact. Then the Centre will do its role," he said.
At Kottayam, leaders of different Hindu organisations decided that at no cost can the temple traditions be tinkered with.
Among those who took part in the meeting were the Nair Service Society and the Pandalam Royal family which holds the jewels of the Sabarimala temple.
