Women's protest at Shani Temple 'disgraceful': Swamy

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday lashed out at the 'disgraceful' storming of the inner sanctum of the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra by women activists, saying there was nothing democratic about it.

"This is an old custom and we all support that women should be allowed, like men, in all religious places, but the behaviour of trying to provoke an incident, shows that these people ( women activists) are not democratic agitators. They seem to have an agenda," Swamy told ANI.

"The proper thing would have been that if these people were objected, they should have quietly gone back, take an appointment with the Chief Minister, say this is what the court has passed, and then, if you (Chief Minister) don't take an action, we would file a contempt petition. This is the orderly way of doing things. But the behavior of those activists yesterday was disgraceful," he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said yesterday that no one must disturb law and order for mere publicity but added that there was no place for discrimination in Hindu culture.

Bhumata Brigade leader Trupti Desai, who was on her way for a medical check-up, criticised Fadnavis for saying that the purpose of their movement was to gain attention.

Nearly 100 volunteers of Bhumata Brigade marched towards Shani Shinganapur temple, a day after the Bombay High Court said that prohibiting women from entering places of worship is against fundamental rights bestowed upon them by the Constitution.

The temple attracted attention in November 2015 after a lady offered prayers in "breach" of an age-old practice of prohibiting entry of women.