Chennai: Dalits of Nathanallur village near Walajabad in Kancheepuram were kept out of participating in the annual float festival of Ellaiamman temple on Tuesday after the district administration failed to intervene citing the Lok Sabha polls.
According to TN Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF), the Dalits who attended the conciliatory meeting at taluk officer on Monday were forced to agree to maintain status quo in the temple festival by police and revenue officials citing elections.
Condemning the district administration and police for acting in favour of caste Hindus, P. Bharathy Anna, district secretary of TNUEF, said that the government should not support the forces practising untouchability which is unconstitutional.
“We demanded the district administration to facilitate participation of Dalits in the float festival not just by manoeuvring the float but also let them travel on it. Besides, the procession of deity should be taken through the street inhabited by Dalits,” he said, citing the petition given by the front in this regard on April 2 and 25. He recalled that last year his front led Dalits to enter Adanjiamman temple in the village.
Even though demand for entry into the Ellaiamman temple and participation in the float festival has been made by Dalits since 1970s, no action had been taken by the district officials or the police till date, said G. Murugan, a Dalit living in the Nathanallur colony.
He said that every year during the float festival, there would be tension in the village as Dalit youth tries go near the float. Another Dalit said that usually the panchayat chief would travel in the float.
“Since the incumbent president is a Dalit, he will not be allowed to travel in it,” he said. The panchayat president post is reserved for SC as per the rotation policy. The villagers also allege discrimination in the ration shop.
