Restriction on women's entry to temples 'unfair': RSS

Restriction on entry of women in any temple is "unfair" and managements in the temples doing so should change their mentality, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said on Sunday, against the backdrop of some cases highlighted through recent agitations in Maharashtra.

"Because of some unfair traditions, at certain places there has been a lack of consensus on the question of temple entry. Such sensitive issues should be resolved through discussion and dialogue and not through agitations," RSS general secretary Suresh Bhayyaji Joshi said at a press conference.

"Women go to thousands of temple across the country but in reference to some, where their entry is an issue, there is a need to change the mentality. Management of such temples should also understand this," he said.

In the recent times, some women groups have been agitating for ending the practice of disallowing women to certain temples like ShaniShingnapurTemple and sanctum sanctorum of TrimbakeshwarTemple in Nashik in Maharashtra.

"Women have been learning the Vedas and also performing religious practices," the RSS leader said.  On the controversy over Sri Sri Ravishankar's cultural programme in Delhi, Joshi said if there was an issue of environment, rules should be followed by all, be it anyone or any organisation.

However, at the same time, he said systems which bring about change in the society will get weakened if only penal measures are used.

Image: RSS general secretary Suresh Bhayyaji Joshi