Protestors gather pace in Auckland Temples
Simi Sethu
Hindu Dharma and Culture are going through a very turbulent time.
The recent verdict of the Supreme Court of India on Sabarimala is a typical example.
The Hindu community in Auckland, outraged by the SC judgment, expressed solidarity to our mothers, sisters and brothers who have been relentlessly fighting to protect Sabarimala, the sanctity of our Temples and the Hindu Dharma.
Eternal Celibacy
The Deity of Aiyappa in Sabarimala is a ‘Naishtika Brahmachari,’ one who has vowed eternal celibacy. That is how we need to worship him there, the reason for the tradition of disallowing women in the age group of 10-50 being followed since long.
Hindus across the world are unhappy with the premeditated desecration of Sabarimala.
The Hindu community condemns the State Government of Kerala which has used official machinery to crush the protests of innocent pilgrims who just want to protect their place of worship from those who aim to destroy it.
Time limit wrong
The State government is trying to put a time limit on the devotees who come to Sabarimala for worshipping their Lord.
Hindus are simply trying to save their faith, traditions, culture, customs and heritage that have stood the evolution for thousands of years in their own country. These are now being attacked in the name of reforms.
All Hindu reforms should come from Hindus themselves, after thorough analysis, research, study, and understanding.
Dharma gurus and scholars should be consulted to bring needed reforms
The protests were well organised at Lord Ganapathi Temple (Papakura) on October 28, 2018 as well as at Thiru Subramaniyar Aalayam (Mangere) in South Auckland on November 11, 2018.
Both temples witnessed a good turnout of devotees supporting the movement against the atrocities on Hindus.
The Supreme Court Verdict
(From Press Trust of India)
The Supreme Court of India, on November 13, 2018, made it clear that fresh pleas relating to the Sabarimala Temple will be heard only after it decides on the earlier petitions seeking review of the judgment allowing entry of women of all age groups into the shrine in Kerala.
The Appellate Court agreed to hear on January 22, 2019 (as Open Court), the pleas seeking review of its verdict which allowed entry of women of all age groups into Kerala’s Sabarimala temple, but refused to stay the judgement.
September 2018 Judgment
On September 28, 2018, a five-judge Constitution bench, headed by the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in 4:1 verdict had paved the way for entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple saying that the ban amounted to gender discrimination.
The review petitions against the verdict were taken up ‘in-chamber’ by a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices RF Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra.
“Writ petitions will be heard after the orders in the review petitions,” the bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph said while hearing the three fresh petitions filed by G. Vijaya Kumar, S Jaya Rajkumar and Shailaja Vijayan challenging its September 28, 2018 verdict. It was said earlier that if the Apex Court decides to review the verdict, then, three fresh petitions will be heard along with review petitions. If the court rejects the review petitions, then fresh petitions will be heard independently on merits.
It was then said that a batch of 48 petitions seeking review of the judgement would be taken up for consideration in-chamber by a bench of Chief Justice Gogoi and Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra.
On September 28, a five-judge constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in its 4:1 verdict, had paved the way for the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala Temple saying the ban amounted to gender discrimination.
