Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Dalits protest `denial of entry' into temple

By Our Staff Reporter

Dalits of Therkutheru taking out a procession in the city on Tuesday. — Photo: K. Ganesan.

MADURAI, MARCH 22. At least 100 Dalits of Therkutheru in Madurai district staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here today, protesting the "denial of entry" into a local temple.

The agitators, including women, marched a 20-km distance from Therkutheru to Madurai, raising slogans against the "discrimination" and demanded action against the Melur Deputy Superintendent of Police and the Tahsildar under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

They threatened to surrender their ration cards to the revenue officials if immediate steps were not taken to allow Dalits into the Mandhaiveeran Temple at Therkutheru.

According to the Dalit Panthers Iyakkam district organiser, K. Kalaivanan, the Dalits have been enjoying all rights in the temple for several decades. In September 2003, a section of the caste Hindus obtained an injunction from a Melur court restraining the Dalits from entering the temple. However, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on March 15, 2005 ordered an interim stay of the order.

"Even after the High Court stayed the injunction order, the caste Hindus are refusing to allow the Dalits into the temple. The local police and revenue officials are refusing to implement the court order. The DSP and the Tahsildar are supporting them (the caste Hindus)," he said.

Since the Collector and the District Revenue Officer were not available at the Collectorate in the evening, the Dalit representatives met the Personal Assistant (General) to the Collector and submitted a memorandum.

They sought adequate protection stating that the Dalits would enter the temple tomorrow and also take part in the fire walk event on Friday.

The district police have enhanced security in the caste-sensitive Melur taluk in view of the Mandhaiveeran Temple festival on March 25.

Striking Force personnel are positioned at vantage points en route as a precautionary measure. Police pickets have been posted at Therkutheru.

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