Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopananada sparked a controversy over the right of women to pray in temples by saying those who enter Shani temple will invite rape. The remarks came just days after the Shani Shingnapur temple trust in Maharashtra decided to allow women to enter the inner sanctum of the temple.
"If they worship Saturn (Shani), the incidents of rape will increase. They should have prayed that the people who indulge in alcoholism must not violate women. What will shani do for them?" said Swaroopananada.
Bhumata Brigade activist Trupti Desai, who led the agitation to allow women the right to enter the Shani Shingnapur temple, hit out at Swaroopananda saying he has grown old. "We have won half the battle and second half is for changing the mindset of the people," Desai said.
The Bombay High Court had on April 1 held that it is the women's fundamental right to go into places of worship and the government is duty-bound to protect it. The temple then reversed its rule and said neither men nor women would be allowed into the area.
Following this, the temple Trust met and decided to allow both men and women inside the sanctum, lifting a tradition that has been in place for 400 years.
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