Coimbatore : Over 1,000 BJP workers, mainly women,took out a procession in the city today, protesting against the handling of the Sabarimala situation by Kerala Government, after the Supreme Court verdict allowing the women of all age groups to offer prayers at the hill shrine.

BJP national executive member and Rajya Sabha member L Ganeshan, who led the procession, said the Agama tradition followed with regard to the shrine should be preserved.

Handling of the situation by the Kerala Government was highly condemnable, he added.

Some teenagers. holding placards, said they would wait to complete 50 years to worship at the temple and the government should take steps to preserve the age-old practices followed there.

Those in the procession were singing hymns and bhajans in praise of Ayyappa and also raised slogans against the Kerala Government. The procession covered nearly 5 km and culminated into a rally at Gandhipuram.