Shani Shingnapur temple row: Wrong to stop women, says Akhara Parishad

New Delhi: The Akhara Parishad has come out strongly in support of women groups fighting to gain the right to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.

Mahant Narendra Giri, president of the Akhara Parishad, said, “I believe women must be allowed to enter any temple,stopping them is wrong.”

“Whether it is men or women, it is their right to enter any temple,” he added.

The Mahant's comments came a day after the police detained at least 300 women activists along with Bhumata Ranragini Brigade chief Trupti Desai, who were on their way to the Shani Shingnapur temple from Pune to break the centuries old tradition of not allowing women to enter the sanctum sanctorum.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Faadnavis has also come out in support of the need to allow women into the temple.

Fadnavis tweeted:    

भारतीय परंपरेत आणि हिंदु धर्मात स्त्रियांना उपासनेचे स्वातंत्र्य नेहमीच राहीले आहे.प्रथा परंपरांमध्ये कालसापेक्ष बदल हिच आमची संस्कृती आहे. — Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) January 26, 2016