Bhumata Brigade chief Trupti Desai, who has launched a movement to secure women's entry to the Shani Shingnapur temple, today said their movement was successful as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has supported their endeavour and assured to look into the matter.
"The Chief Minister told us that he supports our mission and he was with us in our fight. The CM has assured them that he would make every effort to popularise their movement," said Desai while divulging details of her meeting with the Chief Minister.
"We urged the Chief Minister to bring Shani Shingnapur temple under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Government and women should be allowed to enter the temple," she added.
The Bhumata Brigade chief further said that they have requested the Chief Minister to ensure an arrangement so that both men and women could enter the Shani platform.
"We urged the CM to set an example by joining the Bhumata Brigade activists in offering prayers at the temple," she added.
Earlier today, Fadnavis met the women activists, who were detained during their protest yesterday.
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Women members and supporters of the Bhumata Brigade arrived from Pune on Tuesday in six buses with an aim to enter the temple's sanctum where the idol of Lord Shani is placed on an open-air platform.
However, the group led by Desai was stopped from marching towards the temple by police near Supa. They were also detained by police for some time, but released later.
After being stopped by police, Trupti said it was a "black day" for women as they were being stopped from exercising their rights.
The temple drew attention in November 2015 after a woman had offered prayers at the popular shrine in "breach" of age-old practice that prohibits entry of women, after which the temple committee had to suspend seven security men and the villagers to perform purification rituals.
The temple attracts millions of tourists and devotees from across the country and abroad.