When a fake WhatsApp message about former Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra falling ill was posted by someone, it spread like wildfire. Hundreds of people called up media outlets to confirm whether the piece of information was correct. When they were told that it was not true, they were not ready to accept it. “Many women genuinely believed the God’s curse had befallen on Justice Misra and his colleagues who had allowed their faith to be trampled upon by non-believers. In many temples, devotees conducted vazhipads (offerings) for Justice Indu Malhotra’s long life. I have never seen in my life so much resolve in women. In a video clip one rustic old woman openly said she wanted to bash up Vijayan, inadvertently using a caste slur. And the comrades pounced upon the old lady and her house was attacked, despite her cry for forgiveness. An FIR was registered against her imposing stringent sections of Indian penal code. It’s very sad,” said A Padmanabhan, a resident of Kochi.
Activist Rahul Eashwar also came down heavily on Justice Misra, calling him the most “corrupt” judge in live TV discussions.
In another video, which has become viral, a housewife was seen exhorting men to fight against the injustice. “You are brave men. It is an onslaught on our culture and traditions. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for Lord Ayyappa. Call me anytime, I am ready to come for Lord Ayyappa,” said the lady.
Justice Indu Malhotra, a new hero
It’s often said that only a woman can understand a woman better. Justice Indu Malhotra has become a household name in Kerala. “Devotees offered vazhipad in her name. By doing this we are expressing our gratitude towards her,” said Biju Kumar, a resident of Konni, Pathanamthitta.
In the initial three days after the court verdict, there were no political parties involved in the hundreds of nama japa yatras conducted across the state. Women from all walks of life joined. In Lord Ayyappa’s birthplace, Pandalam, about 2 lakh people turned up, a majority of them women.
The fight to protect tradition by women in Kerala was historic. They were not willing to be swayed by Western or Marxist notions of gender equality or high decibel negative campaign by vested interests and media and Left-liberal crowd. They are proud, powerful, educated women with strong conviction and passion for following traditions. Moreover, strong is their faith in Lord Ayyappa that they came out in large numbers without even waiting for their menfolk to join. “A large section of Kerala society used to follow matrilineal traditions. An old British survey shows that about 80 per cent of our women were literate in the 18th century when literacy among North Indian women was not even 4 per cent. Literacy among Western women was also much lower. Swami Vivekananda talks about discussing matters of philosophy in Sanskrit with women of Kodungallur Kovilakam during his sojourn in Kerala. So, our request to all those who want to reform us is – please keep your notions with yourself,” said S Haritha, an advocate.
The Pinarayi Vijayan government’s insistence on taking Rehana Fathima and journalist-activist Kavitha (alleged to be a converted Christian) to the Sannidhanam in riot gear had caused deep wounds in the minds of women devotees. Some people became nervous-wreck; didn’t take food. “My husband switched off the TV as he could not bear the sight of a controversial activist being smuggled into Sabarimala. Some of my relatives became hysterical. Vijayan is responsible for the state-of-affairs. We spend the whole day praying and fasting. At last Ayyappa and his devotees won,” said Shobha Prasanna Kumar, a resident of Konni in Pathanamthitta.
Janam TV emerges protector of independent journalism
Devotees stopped watching channels except Janam TV, as it was the only channel that was giving the devotees’ side. Social media busted the dangerous designs of Asianet, News18, Manorama and other TV channels by showing how partisan they were in reporting. Reporters, mostly former workers of SFI, had to cut a sorry figure when devotees taken on them with facts during their reporting. Prithvipal of Achara Samrakshna Samithi said many electronic media journalists deliberately provoked the police by throwing shoes on them. “This is the worst kind of journalism. Only Janam TV showed the police atrocities on devotees. IG Manoj Abraham-led police kicked on Lord Ayyappa’s photo and nilavilaku (traditional lamp). Who gave them the right to remove pandals? Women were assaulted. But no channel or newspaper reported it, except Janam TV,” added Prithvipal in a TV discussion.
For private TV channels, phone-in programmes brought about most embarrassment moments. For, most respondents criticized them for being partisan and praising Janam TV for steadfast coverage. Janam TV’s rating had gone up several times. Its reports exposed the nexus between the Marxists and media. For instance, almost all young women who turned up to visit Sabarimala were either ultra-Left activists or converted Christians. Most channels refused to name them initially and mentioned them as mere “devotees”. Only after Janam TV started mentioning their full names, did other channels follow suit. One reporter had allegedly asked his bosses to send women reporters to Sannidhanam just to provoke devotees.
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