Thiruvananthapuram, Feb. 20 -- Former Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president and ex-Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai has revealed that the decision to close the shrine and conduct purification rituals at Sabarimala in 2018 to prevent women's entry was taken based on his advice.

The disclosure appeared in his new book titled "Sabarimala Samaravum Suvarna Avasara Vidhiyum".

According to the book, the temple Tantri, Kandararu Rajeevaru, decided to close the shrine after receiving assurances from Sreedharan Pillai. He states that he was asked to contact the Tantri when activist Rehana Fathima approached the Sannidhanam under police protection.

Sreedharan Pillai stated that a prominent Hindu community leader requested him to provide...