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PT demands judicial probe into cancellation of car festival

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI JULY 13. The Puthiya Tamizhagam today demanded a judicial probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the cancellation of the Kandadevi temple car festival in Sivaganga district, scheduled for Friday.

Talking to reporters, the party leader, K. Krishnasamy, alleged that caste Hindus abused top officials of the district administration in the presence of the South Zone IG, T.K. Rajendran. He criticised the police for not booking the culprits under the provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The failure to draw the car amounted to contempt of court, as the Madras High Court had directed the administration to involve all communities in the festival, he said.

"The `voluntary' non-participation of one particular community should not stop the scheduled programme." It was cited that the caste Hindus did not accept the `mudalmariyathai' (temple honour), which led to the cancellation of the festival. "How can an event, which is supposed to take place inside the temple, have a bearing on an event scheduled to take place outside," Dr. Krishnaswamy wanted to know.

He said certain "vested interests" among the caste Hindus were trying to stop the festival to "retain their importance in the society and continue their unconstitutional, undemocratic and sectarian activities". The party would demand the Union Home Ministry to study the alleged "dominance" of a certain community at Kanangudi, Devakottai, Melur and Usilampatti.

The State Government should take steps to prevent people advocating untouchability, he said adding that his party would launch a series of agitations in the district. Dr. Krishnasamy said he would camp at Devakottai soon to protest the `atrocities'.

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