Sabarimala row: Activist Rehana Fathima, who tried to enter shrine, denied anticipatory bail
The Kerala High Court directed the police to take necessary action against the activist, who has been accused of attempting to spread religious hatred online.
The Kerala High Court on Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of activist Rehana Fathima, who unsuccessfully tried to enter the Sabarimala temple in October, and directed the police to take necessary action against her, The News Minute reported. In a separate case, the court granted bail to six men arrested in connection with violent protests at Sabarimala, according to Mathrubhumi.
The Pathanamthitta Police filed a case against the Ernakulam-based activist on October 22 for allegedly attempting to spread religious hatred on social media. They acted on the Sabarimala Samrakshana Samithi’s complaints about her Facebook posts.
Fathima had tried to enter the Sabarimala temple on October 19, at a time the temple had opened for five days for the first time since the Supreme Court order allowing women of all ages into the shrine. Women of menstruating age have traditionally not been allowed into the temple. Protestors demonstrating against the court’s verdict had then vandalised her home. A day later, a Muslim council in the state expelled her from the community for “hurting the sentiments of lakhs of Hindu devotees”.
During the protests in October, demonstrators blocked several women devotees, activists and journalists who tried to enter the temple. On November 13, the Supreme Court agreed to hear in open court a batch of 49 review petitions asking it to revisit its judgement.
The temple is set to open for Mandala pooja Mahotsavam on Friday evening and will close on December 27. Protestors on Friday stopped women’s rights activist Trupti Desai and six other women from leaving the Cochin International Airport in an attempt to prevent them from reaching Sabarimala and entering the shrine.