Kannur: Reshma Nishanth, one of the two women who were prevented from going to the Lord Ayyappa Temple on Sabarimala on Wednesday, was forced out of the hill by the patriarchal system, her husband has noted on social media.

Reshma, one of the first women to declare their intention to pay obeisance to Lord Ayyappa after the Supreme Court allowed all women to go to Sabarimala, was faced with opposition from a group of protesters on the way up the hill shrine. The police later forced Reshma and Shanila Sajesh back to the valley.

The police have also provided a security cover to Reshma’s house at Kannapuram near Kannur to thwart possible attacks from conservatives. Reshma took a vow of abstinence in preparation to her visit to Sabarimala three months ago. The ensuing controversy even cost her job as a temporary teacher in the information technology department of the Sir Syed College in Thalipparamba.

Reshma’s husband, a bank manager at a cooperative bank at Irinavu, offered his full support to the temple visit.

“(Reshma) is climbing down the hill. Not because she is afraid. She is being forced to climb down by the patriarchical system,” A V Nishant wrote on Facebook. He said that his wife has completed 100 days of abstinence to prepare herself for a tryst with the deity.

“Those 100 days were also stressful for me and our five-year-old daughter,” he said. He also said that she was a firm believer and a regular temple-goer.

“Who is afraid of an ordinary woman going to Sabarimala, except those who believe in patriarchy,” he said. He also rubbished claims that his wife was an activist. “Does having an opinion count as activism? Is going to Sabarimala on the basis of a Supreme Court order activism? Have you seen Reshma and Shanila in any activist movements?”

He said that his wife was fighting for the next generation and for Lord Ayyappa himself.

Reshma took the customary vow at the Annapurneswari Temple at Cherukunnu on October 14, 2018. She said that she always took the vow during the Mandala season.