Kerala: Dalit priest resigns, upset over caste discrimination and threats, says ‘a conspiracy was hatched to steal’
An attempt was made to prove me a thief by removing the idol’s original ornaments’ – Fed up with caste discrimination and threats, a 23-year-old Dalit priest in Kerala has resigned from his job.
Ernakulam (Kerala): A shocking incident has emerged from Alangad in Kerala’s Ernakulam district. A Dalit priest has resigned from his post, accusing the CPI(M)-backed Devaswom Employees Confederation of caste discrimination, threats, and fabricated complaints.
The young priest, P.R. Vishnu, claims that when he refused to participate in certain unfair practices and wrongdoings, retaliatory action was initiated against him, making it impossible for him to continue working at the temple.
Conspiracies began just months after joining the job
23-year-old Vishnu was serving as a part-time priest at the Malikampeedika Vathurakkavu Temple in Alangad. He had been appointed to this position approximately four months earlier after being selected by the Travancore Devaswom Recruitment Board (TDB) based on a written examination and interview. However, within a few months of his appointment, the temple administration began receiving false complaints in his name from fake addresses.
Love for Sanatana Dharma and Attempt to Prove Him a ‘Thief’
Due to his deep faith in Sanatana Dharma, Vishnu underwent rigorous training in Tantric rituals and chose this profession. Recounting a horrific plot against him, he said:
“Every effort was made to frame me as a thief. I was shocked to see that the real gold ornaments on the idol had been replaced with fake ones. I became suspicious and immediately called a goldsmith to have the ornaments checked. This way, I narrowly escaped being falsely accused of theft.”
Family also being targeted
Vishnu’s father, P.K. Ramesan, is a daily wage laborer, and his mother, Soumya Ramesan, is a homemaker. The priest alleges that his family is also being deliberately harassed. Vishnu revealed that he had filed a police complaint against a local man, and he is facing intense pressure from various quarters to withdraw it.
What’s the future?
Regarding the recent developments, Vishnu said that he received a call from the TDB Chairman’s office on Wednesday, and Crime Branch officials have recorded his statement. He has clearly told officials that if strict action is taken against those responsible for insulting him, he may reconsider his resignation.
Devaswom Employees Confederation’s clarification
Amidst this controversy, Devaswom Employees Confederation State President Prajit Kumar has given his side of the story. He said, “Our organization will not allow anyone to discriminate against our priests on the basis of caste, as they are directly selected by the TDB Commissioner. We will definitely take action against the TDB employees who insulted Vishnu.”
Rajan Chaudhary
Courtesy: Hindi News
