Pune: Around 1000 women, led by women activist Trupti Desai of the Bhumata Rangranai Brigade, are planning to enter the Shani Shingnapur Temple on the occasion of Republic Day tomorrow in an attempt to break the centuries-old tradition.
Women have not been allowed in this temple for centuries.
The administration has stepped-up the security and the villagers are planning to form a cordon in order to stop the women from entering the temple premises.
"Women want equality, which was given in the Constitution of India on January 26. Hence we want to protest on this day. It is injustice to women that they are not being allowed to enter the temple on the basis of gender bias. This is a fight for the self-respect of women. That's why we are going to the temple and around 1000 women will offer the prayers," Trupti said.
"Around 400 women were supposed to come but around 1500 women have registered so far. We also have received a notice from the police. We will not go back and continue our fight," she added.
"Does the Shani god become impure when a male visits the temple in a drunken state? But if a woman goes there then the God becomes impure. How is it possible?" she wondered.
In November 2015, a woman had offered prayers at the popular shrine in 'breach' of the age-old practice of prohibiting entry of women, after which the temple committee had to suspend seven security men and the villagers to perform purification rituals.
