Woman Who Entered Sabarimala Won’t Be Invited to Ayyappa Conclave: Minister
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| Kerala Govt Clarifies: No Invitation for Activist Bindu Ammini at Ayyappa Event |
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Devaswom Minister V. N. Vasavan on Sunday dismissed the possibility of inviting activist Bindu Ammini, who in 2019 made history by entering the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, to the upcoming Global Ayyappa Sangamam.
“She won’t be allowed to take part in the Ayyappa Sangamam at any cost,” Vasavan said in a television interview. He clarified that the event, organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) with state government support, is intended for genuine devotees who regularly visit the shrine and representatives of pilgrimage-linked organisations. “She does not fall under any of these categories. Hence, there is no need to invite her,” the minister added.
The remarks came after reports that Ammini had written to the government expressing her wish to participate. Earlier, she had also shared a news card about the event on social media with the caption in Malayalam: “I too, as an Ayyappa devotee, will attend. Will you?”
Following Vasavan’s statement, Ammini again took to social media, questioning whether the restrictions applied only to her or also to “the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who are not true devotees either.”
Netizens’ sharp responses
Her comments reignited heated debates online. While some accused the government of double standards, others mocked the idea of verifying devotion through “a machine.” Certain users suggested the exclusion reflected a ritual response to an “Ayyappa curse” following women’s entry, while others argued that Ammini’s identity and her symbolic role in Kerala’s gender equality movement might have influenced the decision.
The Sabarimala backdrop
On January 2, 2019, Ammini, along with Kanaka Durga, entered the Sabarimala shrine under police protection—becoming the first women of menstruating age to do so after the Supreme Court’s September 2018 verdict striking down the ban. The court, citing Articles 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution, upheld women’s right to worship.
The entry triggered widespread protests, including Ayyappa Jyothi demonstrations, counter-processions, hartals and violent clashes, polarising society between defenders of tradition and advocates of gender equality. In response, the state organised the “Women’s Wall” on January 1, 2019, with the participation of over 62 lakh women. Ammini has since faced repeated threats and attacks.
Sangamam and the renewed controversy
The Global Ayyappa Sangamam is scheduled for September 20 at Pampa, marking the Travancore Devaswom Board’s 75th anniversary. The minister’s categorical rejection of Ammini’s participation, her letter to the government, and the subsequent online uproar have once again brought the Sabarimala issue into the political spotlight ahead of the event.