UDF Withdraws Video of ‘Lipstick Wearing, Selfie Taking’ Woman Targeting Left on Sabarimala Post Row

A video released by the Congress party on the Sabarimala controversy of 2018, has been withdrawn after criticism amid assembly polls in Kerala. The one-minute-video showed few male devotees of Lord Ayyappa, dressed in the traditional clothes, chanting prayers and trekking while a young woman dressed in modern clothes walks past them with police escort.

The video was meant to attack the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s earlier stand on the Sabarimala issue, The News Minute reported.

The Supreme Court had later supported the entry of women in the temple in a verdict in 2018. The video was part of the opposition campaign for the 2021 assembly elections in the state.

The video begins with prayers and chants of some men and two traditionally dressed women in mundum neriyathum before they set for Sabrimala. Then there are visuals of a young woman wearing lipstick, packing a backpack and going off to Sabarimala is shown, to changing background music.

The video further shows the women passing by the men wearing shoes and headphones clicking a selfie amid police escort. The video shows the police clearing the way and the women returning in 10 minutes. The two traditional women are shocked seeing the incident.

The video draws the context of the Sabrimala temple controversy and the SC judgment in 2018. While the BJP and Congress led UDF held massive protests against women entry, the LDF decided to follow the SC verdict.

The video ends with the UDF’s promise to formulate laws to “protect the interest of believers.” Critics say that the video is communal and misogynistic. After widespread criticism the video was pulled down.