Current affairs

Casting out the caste: Woman Collector and SP in TN are in praise for opening gates of temple for Dalits!

By alagu, 28 December, 2022
Pudukottai, Tamilnadu

Pitching on to the ground to inspect a cruel event of discrimination where a water tank, that's providing water for Dalits, was filled with feces, two women officers - the Collector and Superintendent of Police of the Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu have come together and broken the biased culture of banning Dalits from entering a local temple. 

Vengaivayal village near Iraiyur in the Pudukottai district had witnessed what has been alleged as a ruthless behaviour from the dominant caste after it was found that a water tank that provides water for Dalits had contained feces due to which about a handful of Dalit children who drank the water were hospitalized. According to reports, when the children were hospitalized recently, the doctors told the relatives that they have suffered health discomfort due to water contamination. 

When the people checked the tank, they found that the water contained feces after which they alerted local MLA Chinnadurai and urged to take action against the culprits. When the issue drawn huge attention, Pudukottai Collector Kavitha Ramu and Superintendent of Police (SP) Vandita Pandey on Tuesday visited the village and inquired about the event. Two women officers directed the officials to carryout investigation and a case has been filed in this regard. 

test
A collage of Pudukottai Collector Kavitha Ramu and SP Vandita Pandey

 

During the inspection, the Dalit villagers had informed the Collector and SP that they have been denied entry into the temple for several years. After learning about their plight and prevailing inequality, the Collector and SP have decided to put an end to the inhumane practice. They took the Dalits to Ayyanar Temple in the village and opened the gates of the temple for them.  

In the visual, Collector Kavitha Ramu was seen ordering the officials to open the temple amidst the voices that opposed the entry of Dalits in the temple. When the Dalits entered the temple in the presence of the Collector and SP, Singammal, the wife of the temple priest staged a drama that she was possessed by divine and she made derogatory remarks against Dalits. However, Singammal's play got failed as she was arrested by the police and a case was filed against her under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 

The SP has also directed the police to slap cases against the Dominant caste Hindus who were opposing the entry of Dalits into the temple. After opening the gates of temple for Dalits, Kavitha Ramu and Vandita Pandey inquired about an outcry from Dalits that a person named Mookaiah was using two separate glasses - one for upper caste and one for Dalits in his tea shop. 

After investigating about the event, a case was filed against Mookaiah (57) and his wife for practicising caste disparity and Mookaiah was also arrested by the police. Speaking to a news agency, Collector Kavitha Ramu said, "Backward community residents informed about the two-tumbler system and I visited the tea shop and find it to be true. Action is being initiated under the SC/ST Act and the villagers also said that they were not allowed to enter the local temple." 

"They were asked to come to the temple and worship in our presence. Regarding the contamination of the water tank, I have constituted a team to probe and identify the culprits. Necessary action will be taken", she added. The arrangements have been made to provide water for the Dalits in the village from the common overhead tank, not from the contaminated tank. 

Several people from across the state have praised Kavitha Ramu and Vandita Pandey and said that the education will take action against the discrimination even it is practiced by God. The political parties like Vidhuthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi had commended the Collector and SP for initiating a promising change. The Collector has issued a separate number (9443314417) and urged the public to report about any caste discrimination in the district to this number. 

 

You may also like

Comments