Women activists barred from entering temple in India

A day after an Indian court ordered women have rights to freely enter temples in the western state of Maharashtra, villagers and a temple committee Saturday prevented a group of women activists from entering a Hindu shrine.

The protesters including women defied the Bombay high court order in a bid to uphold their centuries-old tradition.

More than two dozens of activists of Bhumata Ranragini Brigade (Women Warriors of Mother Earth) led by Trupti Desai were stopped by locals and temple committee officials from entering the inner sanctum of Shani Shingnapur temple in the state's Ahmednagar district.

Villagers at Shingnapur and the temple committee said they would challenge the high court order in the Supreme Court of India.

"The role of police is in contravention to yesterday's court order," visibly upset Desai told media. "Instead of giving us protection and ensuring our entry inside the temple, they are taking us away."

The activists were detained by police and taken out of the temple premises.

On Friday the court directed the Maharashtra government to ensure women were allowed to enter and pray inside the temple.

The court's directive came in a public interest litigation filed by Desai to challenge the "gender inequality" in temples.

The police said they whisked away activists to avoid a possible clash between the two sides at the temple.

Analysts said the activists were testing whether the local government would really implement Friday's court order.

Earlier this year, hundreds of women in the state led by Desai were stopped by police from marching to a temple in a bid to end gender discrimination at places of worship.

Last year, a woman breaching age-old practice offered prayers in defiance at the temple. The temple committee later suspended seven security men for the breach and gathered villagers to perform purification rituals.

Several temples in India have put restrictions on the entry of women. Endit