Tamil Nadu: Allegations of discrimination against Dalits in temple, priest refuses to give ‘vibhuti’
The Dalit community in Vadavalam village in Pudukottai district has made serious allegations of caste discrimination and barring from entry in the temple, demanding protection from the administration.
Tamil Nadu: Dalit residents of Vadavalam panchayat in Pudukottai district have alleged that they were subjected to caste discrimination at the Kaliyuga Meyya Ayyanar temple under HR&CE. They say that the priests refused to give them holy vibhuti (ash) during a ritual held outside the temple ahead of the annual Rath Festival on July 6.
According to a complaint lodged at the Sambattividuthi police station the same day, after Deeparadhana, the priest distributed vibhuti to other devotees but deliberately left out Dalits. When the Dalits questioned this, the priest reportedly said, “We cannot give vibhuti to people like you.”
According to media reports, M. Paniswamy, a Dalit resident of Vadavalam, said, “This is not just a matter of one day. For generations, we have been prevented from entering the temple, participating in rituals or even sitting in the same shade.”
In a letter to Collector M. Aruna on Monday, Dalits from Vadavalam and nearby villages — Echadi Annanagar, Kandangarapathi, Chinnaiya Sathiram, Chettiapathi and Kayampatti — demanded full entry into the temple.
They say they are regularly prevented from carrying milk pots, performing ‘mandagapadi’ or joining processions. They are not even allowed to set up water stalls during festivals. They allege that “social distancing” is enforced if they go beyond a certain point near the temple.
VCK’s Thanjavur-Pudukottai zonal secretary Thirumaravan, who accompanied the Dalit residents, appealed to the district administration to ensure their safe entry into the temple on the day of Rathyatra festival on July 8 and to permanently restore their rights.
Meanwhile, the Dalits also demanded action against the priests under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and representation of Scheduled Caste people in the temple trustee board.
Following the incident, a peace meeting was called by the Alangudi DSP and Pudukottai revenue officials on Monday. A senior revenue official said the Dalits were assured that they would be allowed to enter the temple during the upcoming festival and action would be taken against anyone who obstructed them.
However, no decision has been taken yet on further action on the complaint lodged against priest Ganesh and Sambandham Gurukkal.
Meanwhile, M. Anbuselvam, a member of the caste Hindu community who attended the peace meeting, denied any allegations. He said, “We did not stop anyone from entering. These allegations have been made for political purposes.”
Courtesy : Rajan Chaudhary, Hindi News
