Man builds temple in MP’s Dhar & bars Dalits, booked under SC/ST Act

TNN | Jul 21, 2023, 09.54 AM IST

INDORE: A businessman who built a Shiva temple in a village in MP’s Dhar district has been booked for putting up a notice to bar people of Scheduled Caste communities.
Police registered a case against 50-year-old Prahlad Vishwakarma after protesters blocked the highway on Wednesday night.
The temple is in Lohari village in Kukshi, around 165km from Indore. Complainant Dhanraj Balai said, “I was returning to my home in Badgaon village around 3:30pm on Wednesday when I saw a poster outside Narmadeshwar Mahadev temple in Lohari, restricting the entry of reserved classes. The poster also mentioned that it was private property.” Dhanraj said he was shocked and told his family and friends.
Villagers confronted Prahlad in his temple but he refused to listen to them, arguing that since it was his “personal temple”, he could do anything. He allegedly made casteist remarks.

News spread like wildfire in the district, which has a predominantly SC & ST population. Protests erupted. Members of JAYS (Jay Adivasi Yuva Sangathan) blocked the Kukshi-Manawar road on Wednesday night, demanding immediate action against the accused. Senior police officials promised strict action and persuaded them to lift the blockade.
A case was registered on Thursday under IPC sections 294 (using obscene and foul language), 505 (2) (committing a crime at a religious place), and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act), said Dhar ASP Devendra Patidar.

Soon after this, the accused released a video, apologizing for his actions.

“I built a temple on my land and put up a board restricting the entry of reserved classes. I have removed the board. I apologize to everyone whose sentiments were hurt and welcome all Hindus to the temple,” he says in the video.