Aparna Sivakaami’s strongly worded posts on Facebook, advocating entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala, has attracted the wrath of right wingers in Kerala. And on Thursday after 2 am, her house, near the Calicut University campus in Kozhikode, was attacked by unknown persons. Aparna’s 13-year-old daughter has been injured in the stone pelting by the assailants.
“There’s no need for any doubt on who is behind this attack,” Aparna tells TNM, “it is clear that those who oppose my views on Sabarimala are behind this.”
Aparna is a teacher at the Airport Senior Secondary School, and on Monday, she was at the Kochi Press Club supporting the three women who expressed their wish to visit the Sabarimala shrine. In fact, she booked the venue for Reshma Nishanth, Shajila and Dhanya’s press meet. A group of protesters had gathered near the Press Club to stop the women from holding the press meet – even blocking the women from coming out of the venue for over an hour after the meet was over. The police finally had to arrange a police vehicle for the women to return from the venue, so as to save them from the angry protesters.
“Climbing up the shrine is not my agenda,” Aparna clarifies, “but I will continue to support the women who wish to enter the shrine. I think the fact that I organised the press meet has irked those who oppose women’s entry into the shrine.”
“But the attack hasn’t affected me,” Aparna, a cancer survivor adds. She has also been getting a lot of hate messages, one message even said that if she hurt devotees, 'she won't survive this time', alluding to the cancer.
Aparna has lodged a complaint with the Thenjipalam police about the attack. Taking to Facebook, she wrote, “After effect of the press meet. Big pieces of granite were found in the courtyard of my house. The windows of my house were smashed. The window glass pieces are scattered all over the room. We heard the sound of a bike starting. The vehicles of my neighbours which were parked in my courtyard were not attacked.”
The attack has angered several people, and Aparna has found a lot of support on Facebook, the platform that she uses actively to share her views. Scores of people have come out with posts declaring solidarity with Aparna and have also asked others to stand up against such acts.
Aparna had also declared solidarity with Bindu Thankam Kalyani, a Dalit activist and teacher, who was forced by protesters to return when she attempted to enter the shrine on October 23. Bindu was subjected to incessant harassment and moves to sabotage her work ever since the attempt to climb up the shrine.