Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday said that he supports the traditionalists in the controversial issue of women entry into Sabarimala. The comment from the CM comes a day after several women, including at least four journalists, were physically and verbally assaulted by agitators, who are opposing the recent landmark Supreme Court ruling that allows entry of women of all ages inside the hill shrine.
Kumaraswamy said, “Whatever practices they have been doing for thousands of years should be preserved, violating these practices is creating a conflict.” However, he clarified that it was his personal opinion and not as the Chief Minister.
On Wednesday, the entire district of Patanamtiha had turned into a battle zone after mobs hijacked the entire law and order situation and carried out illegal checks. Section 144 has been declared in Pamba, Nilakkal, Sannidhanam and Elavunkal for a period of two days. Even on Thursday, a New York Times journalist, Suhasini Raj, was prevented from entering the hill shrine by an angry mob.
Karnataka CM, however, refused to give a statement in a similar controversy, the Lingayat issue.
Earlier in the day, Water Resources Minister DK Shivakumar admitted the Congress’s stance on the separate Lingayat religion issue “was a big mistake”. Shivakumar was addressing Dasara Sammelan of the Rambhapuri Seer Veera Someshwara Shivacharya Swami in Gadag.
When reporters asked the CM on his stance on the issue, he said, “We did not discuss it since the government was formed. I don't know in what context he (DKS) has said this. In the previous government, two groups opposed each other on this religious issue. I am repeating what I had said then - if there is an issue involving religion, let the religious heads sit together.”
