Temple row: Activists sent back to Pune

Ranragini Bhumata Brigade president Trupti Desai and other activists were stopped by police in Ahmednagar from proceeding towards Shani Shingnapur for a meeting with the Devasthan trustees on Monday. The Ahmednagar police detained and later released the activists. A notice served to RBB stated that there was danger to Ms Desai’s life and property if she held talks with the trustees in temple town.

On Sunday, Ms Desai had called up the Shani Shingnapur trustees and requested for a meeting in the Temple Town. The trustees had agreed and the meeting was to be held at 1 pm. On Monday morning RBB activists left for Shani Shingnapur.

Ms Desai said that they were stopped first at Nagar Phata and later in front of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation building. “From there we were taken to the police headquarters and detained. Later, we were taken back to Pune,” she said, terming the action ‘strong-arm tactics’.

Speaking to The Asian Age, Superintendent of Police (SP) Saurav Tripathi said that they had already given a notice to the RBB president that there could be danger to her and her activists’ life and property.

“We also explicitly told them that if they wanted to hold a meeting, it could be held in Ahmednagar city instead of Shani Shingnapur. The trustees agreed. However, as the RBB were adamant that they would hold the meeting in the temple town, we had to take preventive action. They were detained without force and released,” Mr Tripathi said.

The notice given earlier, noted her agitation on Republic Day and the heavy opposition by Hindutva organisations. “A PIL about entry of women to the temple chauthara (holy platform) is pending in the high court while a demand has also been made to the chief minister. Under these circumstances, if you go to Shani Shingnapur for a meeting with the trustees, there is strong likelihood of danger to your life and property.”