New Delhi: A Salem-based Ayyappa Mission -- which pays allegiance to Lord Ayyappa -- has threatened to go on a hunger strike in front of the Kerala state legislature if the government allows women inside the famed Sabarimala temple.
The group says that women inside the temple would prove to be a "distraction" to male Ayyappa devotees.
Their stand has come in the wake of Kerala Devaswom Minister G Sudhakaran's recent statement that his government was in favour of allowing women into the temple.
The self-styled 'swami' of the Salem-based group -- All World Sri Dharmasastha Ayyappa Mission -- Rajamangalam was quoted by news agency PTI as saying that Lord Ayyappa's devotees from all over the country would undertake a relay fast if the Kerala government made any such move.
The reasoning behind their protest is that men undertake the Sabarimala pilgrimage after observing penance for 41 days and women would only be a distraction for these male devotees.
Rajamangalam, who claimed that his mission had presence in 107 countries, was also quoted by PTI as saying that his mission members would observe fast in front of the house of actress Jaimala if she did not tender unconditional apology for having spread "false news" that she touched and worshipped the idol of Lord Ayyappa.
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