Sabarimala: Trupti Desai still stuck in the airport after 7 hours; buses begin to ferry devotees

Founder of Bhumata Brigade Trupti Desai reached Cochin Airport on Friday, November 16, at around 4.40 am to visit the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala amid surging protests. She has been stuck at the airport since 4.30 am.

As soon as the news of Tripti Desai’s entry spread, protesters, which included men and women from BJP, gathered around the airport. Devotees gathered outside the airport terminal have begun chanting ayyappa mantras claiming they would prevent her visit at any cost and Desai said that she would not return without the darshan.

She will be staying at a guest house in Kottayam. Trupti Desai on Wednesday, November 14, wrote to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan detailing her travel plans and has sought protection for her journey to Sabarimala.

“Some devotees of Ayyappa Swamy/some party activists may try to create a disturbance. And they can put blame on us that we are responsible for these disturbances. Therefore, the request of police to closely monitor everybody's action,” the letter adds.

However, the Kerala police while responding to the demand said that they will not provide special consideration to women’s rights activist and her accomplices who are to visit Sabarimala temple on November 17.

Besides, the police have also said that it will not respond individually to the letter written by the women’s activist.

She, however, in her letter made a rather unusual demand that Kerala government should bear all her expenses, “We request Government of Kerala to bear all the expenses of protection incurred by us related to arrangements made since we reach Kerala and subsequently to Maharashtra, the government of Kerala should also in furtherance bear expenses incurred by us towards car pick-up, accommodation/meal. If asked for, we will submit before the government bills/invoices related to expenses borne by us for car pick-up, lodging/guest house/meal”.