The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Row over idol: Dalits to petition President

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Thursday, Jun 19, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Row over idol: Dalits to petition President

Special Correspondent

Tirupati: In the raging controversy over not placing the ‘Dalita Govindam’ idols inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala, the Joint Action Committee of the Dalit Organisations which have taken the cudgels against the TTD accusing it of ‘social discrimination’ on Wednesday threatened to disrupt President Prathibha Patil’s programme in Tirupati.

The President is expected to visit Tirupati early next month to take part in the TTD’s diamond jubilee celebrations.

The interaction between the TTD and the JAC to sort out the controversy ended in a deadlock with there being no apparent meeting point between them in their arguments over the issue.

The TTD is citing agamic prescriptions to drive home its point that it prohibited taking any ‘new idols’ other than the already existing idols into the sanctum sanctorum or in procession around the temple. But the JAC is terming the TTD’s stand as an insult to Dalits.

KVPS joins chorus

Meanwhile, the Kula Vivaksha Porata Samithi owing allegiance to the CPI (M), also questioned the propriety of the TTD in not taking the idols into the sanctum after having organised ‘Dalita Govindam’ programme amid much fanfare.

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