Crucial meets on Sabarimala today; government's options limited

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A series of meetings scheduled for Thursday will turn crucial for the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season in Sabarimala beginning on Friday. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan will meet leaders of all political parties first and then representatives of Pandalam Palace and the tanthri family in a bid to evolve a consensus on the women's entry issue.
All political parties, the tanthri family and Pandalam palace representatives have agreed to attend the meeting.The government, however, has only limited options before it as legal experts have pointed out that it was bound to abide by the apex court order.
On Wednesday also, the Supreme Court refused to stay its order allowing all women to enter the temple. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi asked a lawyer, Mathews J Nedumpara, who sought a stay on its Sabarimala verdict, to wait till January 22 when the constitution bench hear the review petitions. Nedumpara had filed a review petition on behalf of the National Ayyappa Devotees (Women's) Association.
A meeting of the Travancore Devaswom Board has also been scheduled on Thursday after the all-party meeting to finalise the plan of action.
"The board has sought legal opinion on the Supreme Court decision on Tuesday and we will discuss this at the meeting," board president A Padmakumar said.
Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran said the government would have to go by the Supreme Court order. "We hope a consensus could be evolved in the all-party meet. The government will urge the other parties not to politicize the matter and create tension,'' he said.