After Karnataka villagers assault, Dalits enter temple premises with police presence in Chikkamagaluru
arun
Posted On January 11, 2024
Dalits, accompanied by the police, entered the Ranganatha Swamy temple at Gollaratti village in Tarikere taluk Chikkamagaluru district on Tuesday, which was closed by the residents of the locality following the entry of a Dalit man into their habitat, people aware of the matter said. When the Dalit community first went to the temple, the […]
Dalits, accompanied by the police, entered the Ranganatha Swamy temple at Gollaratti village in Tarikere taluk Chikkamagaluru district on Tuesday, which was closed by the residents of the locality following the entry of a Dalit man into their habitat, people aware of the matter said.
When the Dalit community first went to the temple, the residents said they had no key to the temple, prompting the administration to issue a warning that they would forcibly open the temple doors if necessary.
The matter became serious turn after a Dalit man was assaulted by members of the Golla community for entering the temple on January 1.
The incident sparked protests by Dalit organizations, leading to the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against 15 people from Gollaratti village involved in the attack, police said.
Dalit organizations staged a protest in the village on January 3, condemning the attack and attempting to enter the temple.
After the attack, the Golla community locked two temples in the village. The district administration, along with police personnel, visited Gollaratti village.
‘It is a practice of hundreds of years that the SC, ST community should not enter our street,’ said a Golla community leader on condition of anonymity.
‘If Dalits entered forcibly, the gods would bring harm upon them,’ he claimed.
The administration officials ordered access to the Ranganatha Swamy temple by all.
‘Initially, the village head claimed there was no key. Eventually, under pressure, the villagers produced the key to the temple. Subsequently, Dalits, accompanied by the police, tahsildar, and sub-divisional magistrate, entered the temple premises. Heavy security measures were implemented, with the deployment of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) squad to maintain order,’ an official of the administration said.
‘The Golla community people assaulted me because I am Dalit. May God do good to those who hit me. Thirty to forty people attacked me with sticks. I don’t hate them; I love them,’ the man who was assaulted said to the media.
Courtesy : Qrius
Note: This news piece was originally published in qrius.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Righ
