About 3-5 million women formed a wall across Kerala to protect to protect Kerala’s renaissance values and for women empowerment. About three million women stood shoulder to shoulder across Kerala and formed 620 KM “wall” from Thiruvananthapuram to the northern district of Kasaragod. They also pledged to protec the renaissance values of Kerala. The wall was organised against the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala temple entry of menstruating women.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the wall was to save Kerala being ‘dragged back into the era of darkness’.
The wall saw massive participation cutting across class/caste/religious barriers.
Expressing solidarity, thousands of men also lined up parallel forming a second human ‘wall’.
The wall was opposed by BJP and other Hindutva organisations.
Sukumaran Nair, general secretary of the Nair Service Society (NSS) said the ‘vanitha mathil’ or women’s wall will turn Kerala into ‘Devil’s country’ and that the LDF govt has employed double standards on the issue. NSS is opposing the Sabarimala temple entry of women devotees tooth and nail.
The decision to stage the wall was taken earlier in December in a meeting of various organisations which played a role in historic Kerala renaissance movement, when women’s entry to Sabarimala after the historical Supreme Court verdict was stone walled by right wing Hindutva organisations and the upper caste Hindus of Kerala. Women who tried to enter the shrine were physically attacked and even journalists covering the issue were attacked.
Great to see a number of hijab wearing women participate in the wall. Hope this will be a beginning of their liberation from male dominance.
Hijab wearing (obviously Muslim women) are already liberated 1.They have the right to own property
2. They get share in their deceased father and husband
3. The marriage is a contract. The husband agrees to look after her and she gets rights.
4. She is not expected to earn her own livelihood.
5. She is not thrown out of her house and not treated as bad omen , if she loses her husband. Her head is not shaved and she is not asked to take off her blouse and bra.
How you gonna explain nikah halala?
Congratulations, mothers and sisters of Kerala ! You are reviving the courageous reformist tradition of Kerala, the rebellious spirit of Punnapra-Vayalar, the popular mood which elected the first Communist government in India.
Sumanta Banerjee
Salute to the women of Kerala. One feels reassured in her/his struggle against the dark forces of the Hindutva. Yes, we can defeat the RSS led Fascists!
S V Rajadurai
Congratulations to the women and men supporting the cause of women. This hadto begin in Kerala…. it did it with a Big Bang, a great revival of the rebillous Vayalar . It needs to spread all over 🇮🇳 India… with all brothers and sisters fighting for the cause against the patriarchial tendency and it’s effect on the united India.
Pl elaborate this statement
The wall was organised against the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala temple entry of menstruating women.
How wonderful to see! How inspiring to see women standing together in solidarity! May their strength give support to the women of the world.
Salute. Excellent.
Unity is strength and these amazing women have shown solidarity to achieve equality and recognition. I salute these courageous women in Kerala and in the rest of India.
Salute to the women of Kerala…
a salute to my sisters in Kerala,they make my heart sing and my belief , that unity is possible,against all odds. This so BIG it takes my breath away, I love you all – all my sisters – I stand next to you, in my heart and in my soul.