The Kerala police on Monday denied police protection to activist Rehana Fathima for her visit to Kerala’s Sabarimala temple on Sunday. Fathima was one of the six women who was given police protection last year when she made an attempt to enter the temple after the Supreme Court’s verdict but was forced to turn back after protests by devotees.
On Saturday, Fathima had filed an application with the Kerala police and reportedly had also approached top police officials on Saturday seeking protection to proceed to the Sabarimala Sannidhanam.
The Kerala government had earlier announced that they will not be giving police protection to women who would attempt the Sabarimala climb unless they get an order from the same from the court. This despite the Supreme Court not putting any stay on its 2018 order lifting the ban on women between the ages of 10 and 50 from visiting the temple.
Rehana Fathima had hit the headlines last year as she was one of the six women who had tried to enter the Sabarimala sanctum to offer her prayers to the deity. Rehana was given special protection by policemen who escorted her till the Nadapanthal, 500 metres away from the shrine. She was dressed like Ayyappa, in black clothes, carrying the irumudikettu (the two-layered sacred bundle without which devotees cannot enter the temple).
The activist has been mired in controversies in Kerala for being outspoken about her views on social media. After her attempted Sabarimala climb, Rehana, who was employed at BSNL's Kochi boat jetty branch as a phone mechanic, was transferred to Ravipuram to a role that reportedly did not require any direct contact or communication with customers.
Last year in November she was attested by the Pathanamthitta police for a Facebook post, which allegedly hurt the sentiments of the Ayyappa devotees. Rehana had posted a picture on Facebook on September 30, dressed as an Ayyappa devotee wearing rudraksha and sporting a patta, with the caption 'Thathvamasi.’
After her attempt to enter the temple, a case was registered after a complaint filed by the Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi, a right-wing group backed by the RSS, alleging that her social media posts have hurt their religious sentiments. After 18 days in jail, she was granted bail by the Kerala High Court.