Shani Shingnapur temple: CM Fadnavis makes no concrete promise of ending the age-old custom

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The women’s activists said instead of sending out a strong signal against those harbouring archaic mindsets, the Chief Minister made half-hearted promises which has sorely disappointed them. “In our progressive state like Maharashtra, we need to put an end such ridiculous practices. The Chief Minister has to lead from the front, but he seem to backing the people with ‘backward’ thoughts,” said Trupti Desai, president of the brigade and Pushpak Kevadkar, vice-president.

The women’s activists submitted an appeal to the CM today, urging him to offer worship in the core shrine area along with his wife.

“We also verbally told him to do so, but he did not say a loud yes. Except for saying okay, okay, he clearly avoided speaking much on the all important issue,” Jagtap said. The CM however did gave a pat on the back to Desai, appreciating their effort, women activists said.

But Jagtap said the CM could have easily allowed them to offer worship under police gaze at the temple. “But they decided to use force to push us back. The CM himself holds the charge of the Home Ministry, but on Republic Day he caused injury to our agitation and today he tried to offer half-hearted balm to us…in fact it is like rubbing salt into our injury,” she said, adding that the CM could only gave them five minutes to hear out their grievances.

Though the Chief Minister, as claimed by the women’s activists, was not much forthcoming today, on Tuesday, after the high drama in Supa village which saw Ahmednagar police detaining brigade’s leader Trupti Desai and activists, Fadnavis had tweeted, “In Indian culture and Hindu religion, women have always had the liberty to pray. Change in traditions as per changing times has been our strength. It is wrong to discriminate between the devotees. I appeal to temple authorities to take initiative to solve these problems. I’ve also given instructions to the Collector and Police Commissioner of Ahmednagar to establish communication between the activists and the villagers.”

But despite the CM’s appeal, the Shingnapur villagers do not seem ready to negotiate a middle way out. Temple’s manager Sanjay Bankar said on Wednesday that he was “unaware” of any such statement made by the Chief Minister and that there is no question of negotiating with the protesters. “We aren’t going to negotiate with them. The question is of the beliefs of people and there is not a single reason to back off,” said Bankar.

The Bhumata Brigade too is unrelenting. The women’s activists said though their agitation has been foiled, they would not backtrack. “Every four days, we will make an attempt to break the barrier at the temple. How long will they stop us ?,” asked Desai. She said they will also hold a dialgoue only when they get an proper communication in this respect.

Desai and several other women’s activists were detained at Supa, about 70 km from Shingnapur on Tuesday. Over 500 women activists 500 activists were sent back to Pune from Supa village. Villagers of Shani Shingnapur, who had prepared themselves for a confrontation with the activists, celebrated the detention of Desai and other activists by bursting firecrackers.

Shalini Lande, one of the trustees of temple had said that the trust hopes that the “action” will deter any further hustle. “We hope this will resolve the issue once and for all,” she had said. Many women in the march had travelled from Kolhapur, Latur, Nashik and other parts of the state, many of them unaware about their “true objective”. Desai had claimed to bring more than 1,500 women, but the actual number on the ground appeared approximately a third of that.

According to temple authorities, the chauthara (platform) where the idol is installed has been closed for both women and men for the past five years. However, men who donate a particular sum to the temple trust in the name of the deity are allowed entry. Desai had said the women would pay the amount to gain access, but the temple authorities turned down the offer.

“It’s extremely unfortunate that the police stopped us by using force. We haven’t done anything wrong, as everyone, irrespective of gender, should have equal right to enter the sanctum,” Desai had told the media. With Desai emphasising that they would not budge, many activists squatted and lay down on the highway at Supa and refused to move. The activists also called it a “black day” for women and Indian democracy on Republic Day.