On Monday, the Kerala High Court observed that the situation at Sabarimala temple had changed and that the court does not feel there are any issues going on currently that would affect pilgrims.
The New Indian Express reports that a bench comprising Justice PR Ramchandra Menon and Justice N Anil Kumar said this while disposing of a petition filed by KV Vibin, Akhil Mohanan and OB Bibin from Thrissur.
They had filed a petition before the High Court asking for a directive allowing them to go to Sabarimala during the ongoing Mandala-Makaravilaku season. They also contended that their human rights had been violated when police stopped them from making the trek into the temple on 29 November.
However, as the Times of India reports, the government contended that one of the petitioners is an accused in seven cases and another of two cases, all of which were pertaining to Sabarimala.
When they arrived at Pamba along with 33 other people, they had submitted to police frisking and checking and were questioned about their membership or allegiance to the BJP, RSS or any other Sangh Parivar outfits. The three petitioners then revealed their allegiance to the BJP.
When the police came to know that they had taken in a “namajapa protest,” (a protest involving the chanting of Ayyappa prayers) at Chalakudy a few weeks ago and had cases registered against them there, they were taken to Perumpetty police station and detained for five hours. After filing bonds, they were told to return to their homes.
In this case, the government also contended that the trio was believed to have arrived at Sabarimala on 29 November in response to a flyer circulated by a certain political party to bring people to Sabarimala to cause trouble at the shrine and thus had to be stopped from progressing towards the shrine when they refused to cooperate with police posted there.
TOI also reports that the government submitted that now that the situation has stabilised, there is no restriction against the trio visiting the temple now. Based on this, the HC disposed of the petition.