Victory for devotees of Bhagwan Ayyappa, Trupti Desai returns empty-handed

In another victory for the devotees of Bhagwan Ayyappa and entire Hindu community, activist Trupti Desai, the chief of Bhumata Brigade, along with her entourage has been sent back to Mumbai.

Trupti Desai was at the Cochin International airport, Kerala for the entire day as Bhagwan Ayyappa devotees did not allow her to visit the Sabarimala temple. She faced huge protests outside the Kochi International airport. All the cabs and taxis refused to offer their services to her. After facing such a massive protest and boycott, she finally gave up and decided to return to Mumbai.

She faced protest outside the Mumbai airport as well. Protesters outside the Mumbai airport said, “We’ve come here to protest. Trupti Desai should try going there after attaining 50 yrs of age&not before that. She won’t be allowed to step inside the temple before that. There are so many devotees working towards this & stopping other women too.”

On her defeat, Trupti Desai offered the following excuse, “When we landed at the Kochi airport, protestors gathered there hurled abuses at us and threatened us to go back. The police, too, requested us to leave saying anything can happen. We didn’t want anything to happen to the people of the state because of us, so we decided to return. Police have told us that they’ll provide us security the next time we visit.” Elaborating her future strategy, Trupti Desai said, “This time we went there after announcing, but the next time we won’t announce that we’re visiting, but will follow guerrilla tactics.”

Earlier, on Wednesday, in a letter she informed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan about her plans to enter the Sabarimala temple and demanded tight security while she enters into the temple. She requested, “We request Government of Kerala to bear all the expenses of protection incurred by us related to arrangements made since we reach Kerala and subsequently to Maharashtra, the government of Kerala should also in furtherance bear expenses incurred by us towards car pick-up, accommodation/meal. If asked for, we will submit before the government bills/invoices related to expenses borne by us for car pick-up, lodging/guest house/meal.”

However, Kerala police denied any special treatment to Trupti Desai. Kerala police said, “No special security will be provided, Desai is like any other pilgrim.”

Trupti Desai tried every trick in her book to hurt the sentiments of the crores of Bhagwan Ayyappa devotees and intrude inside the Sabarimala Temple but she, along with her companions, could not even come out of the airport, and ultimately took a flight back to Mumbai at 9.30 pm on Friday. The Bhagwan Ayyappa devotees celebrated their victory with loud chants of Ayyappa Sarana mantras.

However, Trupti Desai is not coming empty handed from Kochi, Priyanka Jagtap, a former colleague of Desai said. Jagtap futher added,“She has already achieved her motive. She has got all the attention and publicity she wanted. This is her style.” She also alleged, “She does not help anyone unless she is promised a certain sum of money. Her commission is often hefty. Besides, the ruckus that she creates sometimes leads to police complaints against her.”

Pushpak Kewadkar, a former associate who fell out with her, alleged, “She (Desai) has a dictatorial attitude. She does not want her close associates to come into the limelight. Whatever she does, she does it for publicity and money. She is a business-minded woman.” According to Indian Express report, Kewadkar said that Trupti Desai is neither a devout Hindu nor did she fully understand many of the underlying issues, Pushpak Kewadkar added, “But she is very keen to latch on to a burning topic to get attention. She will go to any length to get media coverage, especially on TV channels.”

Trupti Desai came in to the limelight after she spearheaded Shani Shignapur Temple protest and now her next target appears to be the Sabarimala Temple in order to get the attention again.