Dabholkarin no mood to backtrack

KOLHAPUR, Dec 21: While reiterating that a number of women activists of the Maharashtra Superstition Eradication Committee (SEC) were all willing to stand on the sacred `chouthara’ at the temple of God Shani at Shani Shingnapur, the committee’s working president Dr. Narendra Dabholkar challenged Ahmednagar MLA Shivajirao Kardile to decide on the day for the `event.’

Addressing a press conference here, Dabholkar pointed out to a statement by Kardile, in which he had challenged Dabholkar and his wife to stand on the sacred chouthara at the temple and face the punishment of God. “The committee has accepted the challenge, and if permitted by the temple trustees, women activists are ready to perform the act and defy the ban on the entry of women. It is upto Kardile to decide the day,” he announced.

According to him ban on women to stand on the chouthara was a classic case of gender discrimination.

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“Such discrimination is contradictory to the concept of God. Nobody should advocate this tradition and the committee appeals to the trustees of the temple to withdraw the ban,” he said.

When asked whether the committee was considering any other options if the temple trustees do not permit entry to women inspite of the appeal, he said SEC would write a letter to the district collector of Ahmadnagar, to demand the same.