The Kerala Government on Monday backed the demand for the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala shrine, marking a U-turn from its earlier stand which favoured the Temple Board’s decision barring entry of women of menstrual age.
Making its stand clear before the Supreme Court in a PIl filed by Indian Young lawyers Association, which has challenged the ban to be discriminatory and unconstitutional, the Kerala Government asked the court to record its statement for purpose of deciding the case.
Interestingly, there have been several twists and turns in the stand of the Kerala Government, with the change of Government in the State. In 2007, the VS Achutanandan Government, constituting the left Front, had filed an affidavit before the apex court supporting entry of women into the shrine. But the Congress-led UDF Government filed a fresh affidavit reversing the earlier stand of the State Government.