The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Tension over funeral procession

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 23, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tension over funeral procession

Special Correspondent

VILLUPURAM: Tension gripped Eraiyur again on Saturday over the funeral procession.

Majority caste Christians objected to taking of the funeral procession of a Dalit Christian who died on Saturday, through the common path. However, Dalit Christians stuck to their stand.

Meanwhile, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalan told The Hindu that the Dalit Christians should be allowed to go through the common path and till they got the rights the body would be kept there for any number of days.

Mr. Thirumavalan put the onus of implementing the resolutions passed by the Archdiocese of Puducherry and Cuddalore on the State government. The Dalit Christians were firm in their resolve and would not budge.

The Archbishop Anandarayar convened a meeting of priests and passed a resolution to abolish the discriminatory practices on caste basis. The Archdiocese had brought all castes within the same bracket as “Christian faithful” and allowed free access to Dalit Christians to the common path and promised common cemetery.

However, majority Christians at Eraiyur had contended that since the resolutions were passed without taking them into confidence these were not agreeable to them.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu