Hundreds of Dalits led by the CPI(M) leaders made an attempt on Wednesday to enter the Kannanallur Mariamman temple situated at Panthapuli near Sankarankoil in Tamil Nadu.
The situation is such in this temple, the Dalits cannot go into the temple despite the court orders. The local court has given its judgement in the month of September that the Dalits have right to offer prayers. When the judgement came, the priest of the temple had locked up the temple and ran away.
The situation is such in this temple, the Dalits cannot go into the temple despite the court orders. The local court has given its judgement in the month of September that the Dalits have right to offer prayers. When the judgement came, the priest of the temple had locked up the temple and ran away.
The Dalits protested on being kept away from worshipping in the temple. Administration was also playing into the hands of dominant section. It is refusing to implemente the court orders. CPI(M), on behalf of Dalits, took up the issue and held talks with the administration.
Instead of implementing the law, The local administration imposed section 144 to stop the dalits to enter the temple. The CPI(M) and the Dalits were firm in their decision in exercising their rights to enter the temple.
The attempts by the administration to create division within the dalits were futile. They stood behind the CPI(M) that is conducting the struggle for untouchability eradication. Dalits led by the CPI(M) party leaders had assembled in Sankarankoil to proceed towards Pandhapuli.
The police arrested the leaders and the dalits for violating the orders. In total, 400 people were arrested. The police didnot allow even the MLAs to visit the temple. Addressing a meeting on the Golden Jubilee Grounds, Ms. Balabharathi came down heavily on the official machinery for banning the CPI (M)’s temple entry.
Before the arrest, CPI(M)'s MLA K.Bala Bharathi spoke to the presspersons. In that, The administration is not able to execute the order of Munsif Court that the Dalits should be allowed to worship in the temlple. Hence, the party is taking up the issue and wil make sure that the dalits enter the temple as they desire, she said.
She charged that the district administration is functioning with casteist feelings. The state government is just standing as silent spectator for these events. Chief Minister should take initiatives to solve the issue immediate. If the trend continues, the CPI(M) will conduct statewide agitations.
It is atrocious on the part of the Chief Minister who is busy in issuing statements and writing letters as if he is sitting in Opposition. When the Dalits were struggling to exercising their rights, he was busy in writing about Sirudhavur where the farmer Chief Minister Jayalalitha and her associates have grabbed the land of dalits.
Chief Minister Karunanidhi was trying to pinpoint the State Secretary of CPI(M), N.Varadarajan, saying it was Varadarajan who first took the issue of land grabbing. Karunanidhi was trying to focus the attention on the decision of electoral alliance between the AIADMK and CPI(M). He says, Varadarajan took up the case two years back.
The point here is, N.Varadarajan has not withdrawn his complaint. The dilly-dallying is only on the part of Government who is just sitting over the matter for the last two years. Infact, it is Karunanidhi who is having some pact with the corrupt elements in the other parties. The exoneration of Sedapatti Muthaiah and Indira Kumari are pointers towards this.
He once even invited J.Jayalalitha also to join DMK. The agitations for the social justice cannot be diverted by the cheap politics carried out by the Karunanidhi and co. The firmness shown by the people of Pandhapuli is proof to the belief that the struggle of the oppressed groups will succeed despite the opponents' efforts.
