NILAKKAL: Days after questioning the ongoing MeToo movement, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Udit Raj Wednesday claimed that never before has he witnessed a fight for slavery and inequality while referring to the Sabarimala Temple row.
“I have seen fight for equality, not for slavery and inequality,” said the BJP lawmaker.
Massive protests unfurled earlier in the day after demonstrators, which include women, opposed the entry of women falling in the menstrual age bracket to the ancient shrine. The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment last month, upturned an archaic rule and paved the way for women, aged 10 to 50 years, in the temple.
“On one hand, fight against atrocities by men is going on in the nation and on the other hand, women are fighting against their own freedom and rights,” said Raj, adding that this his personal and not political opinion.
“It has happened for the first time in the world, it's amusing. 'Make me a slave, treat me unequally, we're inferior to men', women are stopping women. What's the point in this,” he said, adding, “I don't know what's happening in this nation.”
Meanwhile, the state of Kerala has been on the edge with increasing protests. Over 1,000 security personnel, 800 men and 200 women, have been deployed at Nilakkal and Pampa base camp. At least 500 security personnel have been deployed at Sannidhanam.
