Congress backs women's agitation for lifting temple entry ban

New Delhi

"I commend the move of one of the women's organisations of Maharashtra asserting their right of worship at Shani Shingnapur.

"Women have got equal rights in the field of religion and philosophy in our country for centuries. Doors of knowledge and religion should be open to everyone without any discrimination", party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi said.

He said that it is the "pious duty" of whole society to support such a move. "This is also the responsibility of the government so that reason prevails over those people who are creating hurdles and problems in this direction."

His statement came a day after around 400 women activists made an attempt to defy the ban on female devotees entering the sacred platform at Shani Shingnapur which was foiled by police as they were stopped at a village, 70 km from the shrine.

The activists, who tried to head to the popular temple defying prohibitory orders to worship the deity, were detained by police at Supa village for a few hours and released in the evening and sent back to Pune in buses.