No one must interfere with Sabarimala temple traditions, says Rajinikanth

Chennai: Actor Rajinikanth on Saturday said there should be no "interference" in temple traditions being followed for a long time, in his first response to the recent Supreme Court order on the entry of women of all age groups into the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala and the subsequent protests.

Speaking to reporters here, he said there was no second opinion on equality for women in every sphere. "But when you talk about a temple, every temple has its time-honoured rituals, besides traditions being followed for a long time. My humble opinion is that no one should interfere in that," Rajinikanth said.

Noting that the top court verdict should be "respected", the 67-year-old actor, however, indicated that caution should be exercised when it came to matters of religion and related rituals. 

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Kerala has been witnessing protests against the entry of girls and women of menstrual age into Sabarimala temple since the government had said it would abide by the ruling of the apex court. 

The agitation intensified since the shrine was opened for the five-day monthly pooja on October 17. On September 28, a five-judge Constitution bench of the SC, headed by then chief justice Dipak Misra, lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine.