A massive procession, including activists, and political party workers made their way to Kerala capital Thiruvananthapuram to protest against the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups entry into the Sabarimala temple. Bharatiya Janata Party activists, women and children, marched to the secretariat chanting mantras to invoke Lord Ayyappa. Carrying placards and pictures of the deity, protesters overflowed from the premises, despite the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) convening a meeting of various stakeholders of the shrine including the Tantri family, Pandalam royals, and Ayyappa Seva Sangam.
Protesters demanded that the Kerala government file a review petition in the Supreme Court against the September 28 judgment, stating the centuries-old traditions of the shrine should be restored. Simultaneously, a protest march was held from Kerala House to Jantar Mantar in Delhi. Senior BJP leader Muralidhar Rao has, meanwhile, threatened the Pinarayi Vijayan government saying, “CM will be responsible for anything that happens, if he doesn't file review petition.” The ruling Kerala government remains reluctant to give in to the demands. The BJP alleges that the attempt to implement the judgment was a “conspiracy” to destroy the hillock shrine, where millions of people from all over the country and abroad visit during the three-month-long pilgrimage season beginning mid-November.
The march saw senior NDA leaders in the forefront, including actor-turned-MP, Suresh Gopi, and Bharatiya Dharma Jana Sena chief Thushar Vellappally. BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai said if the state government failed to resolve the issue at the earliest, the BJP-NDA's agitation would take a new turn. “We will meet each villager in Kerala and chalk out a massive agitation plan to protect the Sabarimala Temple, its centuries-old traditions and the sentiments of Lord Ayyappa devotees.”
Opening on October 17, the Sabarimala Temple would be closed on October 22, after the five-day monthly pooja of Malayalam month of 'Thulam'. The BJP has threatened that if the CPI(M)-led LDF government does not find a solution in the next 24 hours, the party-led NDA would chalk out a “massive” agitation plan. Other leaders like Pravin Togadia also called for a hartal on October 18, if the state government implemented the Supreme Court's verdict.
In the meantime, temple authorities have expressed their inability to implement the apex court's order. It is reported that women devotees are being stopped at Nilakkal, and dragged out of buses in an effort to stop them from approaching the base camp. The Kerala CM said, “We will not allow anyone to take law and order in their hands. The government will ensure facilities to devotees to go to Sabarimala temple and offer prayers. The government will not submit a review petition. We've said in court that we'll implement the order.”
