Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been vanquished by Lord Ayyappa on the issue of allowing women of all ages at Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, said Rahul Easwar, president of Ayyappa Dharma Sena, apparently referring to the massive protests that prevented young women from entering the temple.

“Pinarayi should change his stand on the issue at least now,” he said.

Rahul, who had been arrested for staging a protest against the entry of all women to Sabarimala Temple, was addressing the media after his release from prison.

“The Pinarayi government now represents only the atheists and unbelievers. I am glad that the devotees prevented any trespass by women of the 10-50 age group,” he said.

Rahul, who is a member of the 'tantri’ (priest) family traditionally associated with the Sabarimala temple, claimed he was arrested after the cops fabricated a case against him. “In fact, I was not even present at Pamba at the time suggested by the police. At that time, I was at Sannidhanam,” he claimed.

Rahul also said that arresting his grandmother who was an ardent devotee while providing police protection to a non-believer like Rehana Fathima to climb the Sabarimala hill amounted to gross injustice.

Protests to intensify

When the temple reopens again on November 5, peaceful protests will be held. Gandhian methods will be adopted to strengthen the stir. “The Central government has to consider the option of promulgating an ordinance on the issue. "There is no political angle to the affair,” said Rahul.

After his arrest also, Rahul had accused the police of foisting a false case against him.

Kerala has been witnessing massive protests by devotees opposing the entry of women of child-bearing age into the Sabarimala temple after a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court on September 28 held that women of all age groups should be allowed entry into the shrine.