Tamil Nadu: Groups with vested interests politicising Dalits’ temple entry: Caste outfit

The rally took out by the Gounder outfit at Perumanallur Nal Road Junction on Wednesday morning saw the participation of over 300 people.

TIRUPPUR: The Kongu Vellalar Goundar Peravai (KVGP) has alleged that some groups with vested interests are trying to take political mileage over the recent incident where three Dalit families offered worship in the Mariamman temple, which is under HR&CE department, at Pongupalayam near Tiruppur city.

According to sources, though the temple went under HR&CE department 30 years ago, some members of the gounder community still wield decision-making powers in the temple administration and they behave as if it belongs to them. They felt they lost their power and pride after the Dalits entered the temple. The rally took out by the Gounder outfit at Perumanallur Nal Road Junction on Wednesday morning saw the participation of over 300 people.

KVGP state secretary S Suriya Moorthi said, “We do not practise caste discrimination and people from all communities can enter the temple. But some anti-social elements, in the name of temple entry, carried out a wrong propaganda and politicised the issue to get mileage out of it. While members of Goundar community are focused on business and allocate less time to the affairs of the temple, lazy people alone are concerned about the temple entry. I advise the people who are behind the temple entry to focus on education, development and other issues. Besides, these people are indisciplined and often consume beef. They do not care about the rituals of the temple.”

Criticising the HR & CE department, he said, “The department needlessly interfered in the issue. The department does not bother about the functioning and administration of temples, but is concerned only about the money generated from them. If police don’t intervene in such issues, we warn them that we will take the issue into our hands.”

A top official from HR & CE department said, “Since, the temple comes under HR & CE department, it is a public place of worship, and no one has the right to stop the entry of hindu individuals. The caste group staged a protest and claimed that they are seeking takeover the hindu temple from HR & CE department. But it cannot be done easily. “

On January 11, three Dalit families entered the temple. On February 1, the KVGP sought permission from police to take out a rally condemning the HR&CE department, but police refused permission. The KVGP approached the Madras High Court, which directed it to approach the Tiruppur district administration. Based on the direction, the outfit submitted a petition with Tiruppur sub collector and the permission was granted.

Courtesy : TNIE

Note: This news piece was originally published in thenewindianexpress.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Right