Daijiworld Media Network - Moodbidri (SP)

Moodbidri, Nov 20: 'Ayyappa Bhakta Vrinda', an organization of Ayyappa devotees, has handed over a letter to Alva's Education Foundation chairman, Dr M Mohan Alva, condemning the stand taken by Mallika Ganti, who presided over the recently concluded 'Nudisiri' programme held under the aegis of the foundation, against the stance taken by the devotees and the Sabarimala shrine. They noted that Mallika had said that it was wrong on the part of the Sabarimala shrine and devotees not to allow ladies of all age groups inside the sanctum sanctorum.

"During the menstruation, women do not enter temples and do not even step into the puja rooms in their houses. The forum provided to Mallika Ganti was literary in nature, and she was not expected to raise religious issues there. Her address has pained the religious sentiments of the people as she was apparently not driven by the concerns of social equality," the organization said. They added that prima facie it is clear that Ganti spoke without having a clear idea about the whole issue.

"Lacs of female devotees of the temple are opposing the Supreme Court verdict. Only a handful of women are speaking against these women just to gain publicity. We condemn the stands taken by leftists who get pleasure in hurting the sentiments of people following certain religions," it said.

Sudarshan M, Raghu Guruswamy, Naveen Guruswamy, Vishwanath, Muralidhar and Sathish were the members of the organization's delegation which handed over the letter.