In a twist to the controversy around the Sabarimala shrine, CPI(M) activist Kanakdurga, who has been accused of desecrating the Sabarimala shrine by entering the temple premises illegally, has been disowned by her family.
Following a fierce scuffle, which left Kanakdurga as well as her mother in law injured, she was admitted first into a hospital and then sent to a government shelter home at Perinthalamma. As of now, she is homeless after her family disowned her.
In an interview to CNN News 18, Kanakdurga lamented about her current status as she said, “It was my husband who decided not to let me in the house after I was discharged from the hospital. Now I am waiting for a court order till then the police have housed me in a government shelter house, One Stop Centre run by Social Justice Department.”
Not only did she threaten her family with legal action, but also she defended her party, saying that nobody forced her to go to Sabarimala. To quote her, “No one asked me to go; I went to Sabarimala on my own. These allegations of conspiracy are being made by people who did not want women to enter the temple.”
For those unaware, Kanakdurga and Bindhu were the two women who desecrated the holy shrine of Sabarimala by creeping into the temple premises on January 2. Dressed in veiled attire, the two women posed as transgenders and crept through the back doors in the early morning, and they did not carry the customary Prasad, as offered to the deity of the temple, Swami Ayyappa.
By doing so, they desecrated an age-old tradition of the shrine, which did not allow women between 11-50 years of age to enter the temple. This tradition was earlier overturned by the Supreme Court, followed by a violent tussle between the Communist government of Kerala and the devotees of the holy shrine. Ever since the two women broke the tradition, they have been on the radar of the devotees.
Kanakdurga’s family wasn’t aware of her decision to visit the shrine. Following the desecration of Sabarimala shrine, they not only disowned her but also threw out of her house. Kanakdurga’s brother Bharat Bhooshan continues to stand by his decision and has also said that until she does not apologize to the Ayyappa devotees and the Sanatan community, he won’t let her into the house.
Frankly speaking, there are certain traditions, which cannot be broken just for the heck of it. If there were some women who wished to break the tradition and defile the temple premises with filthy offerings, there were thousands of female Ayyappa devotees who were not only ready to wait but also fight for their rights, come what may.
As such, it is welcome to see the masses of Kerala mincing no words in their criticism for the likes of Rehana Fatima, and Kanakdurga, who only wish to mock the Sanatan Dharma in the name of women empowerment. We hope that justice is delivered to the family soon.