Women activists owing allegiance to Pune-based Swarajya Sanghatana were manhandled by the villagers on Wednesday morning, when they tried to enter the sanctum sanctorum of Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik district of north Maharashtra.
Following the incident, the local police booked nearly 200 people, including former president of Trimbakeshwar Municipal Council Anagha Phadke, under various sections of the IPC, including molestation and wrongful restraint.
The incident happened when the women activists were trying to enter the core worship area of the Trimbakeshwar temple.
Talking to media persons after the incident, ‘Swarajya Sanghatana’ president Vanita Gutte said: “We (women activists) were standing in queue since 5 am to seek entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. We were following the dress code – that of wearing wet cotton clothes – prescribed by the temple management for entering Garbha Griha”
“The temple allows entry of devotees into the sanctum sanctorum between 6 am and 7 am.. However, some local priests and women had deliberately stood in the queue before us and obstructed us from entering the sanctum. They also manhandled us,” Vanita said.
Having been manhandled during their failed bid to gain entry inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, the women activists lodged a complaints with the Trimbakeshwar temple police.
“We have booked 200 persons, including the former municipal president of Trimbakeshwar, under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention),” Inspector of Trimbakeshwar police station HP Kolhe said. Kolhe said that the police would examine the CCTV footage of the incident and take action against the persons concerned.
Wednesday’s incident came on the heels of the Trimbakeshwar Devasthan Trust’s recent decision to allow women inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple for one hour every day. But, the only condition that the temple management had imposed on the women devotees was that they should wear wet cotton or silk clothes while offering prayers in the core worship area.
Talking to media persons in Mumbai, Bhumata Rangranai Brigade (BRB) convenor Trupti Desai — who is spreading a crusade against gender bias at temples across the State — condemned the manhandling of women activists at the Trimbakeshwar temple and held chief minister Devendra Fadnavis squarely responsible for the incident.
Earlier on April 14, the police had registered offences against nearly 250 people, including members of the temple trust, some local priests, and temple workers, under relevant sections of the IPC, based on a complaint made by the ‘Swarajya Sanghatana’.
The attempt by women activists to enter the sanctum sanctorum of Trimbakeshwar temple was a consequence of a directive issued on April 1 by the Bombay High Court to the state government to enforce the Maharashtra Hindu Place of Worship (Entry Authorisation) Act 1956.
In its direction given to the state government on April 1, a HC division bench of Chief Justice DH Waghela and Justice MS Sonak had said: “The acting Advocate General has assured the court that the government is against gender discrimination. Keeping in view Article 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution of India, the government can take pro-active steps to ensure that the fundamental rights of a citizen are fully realised and not allowed to be encroached upon by any authority”.
Hearing a public interest litigation filed by senior advocate Nilima Vartak and activist Vidya Bal challenging prohibiting the entry of women in the Shani Shingnapur temple, the HC bench had also directed the secretary of Maharashtra’s Home Department to ensure that the policy and purpose of the Maharashtra Hindu Place of Worship (Entry Authorisation) Act 1956 “is fully carried out, and directions are issued to all district collectors and Superintendents of Police”.
The women activists have since then entered the core worship areas of Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district and Mahalakshmi temple at Kolhapur in western Maharashtra.