Dalits banned from shrine, Hassan village flares up

HASSAN: Police clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC on Singaranahalli in Holenarsipur taluk of Hassan district on Friday after Dalits were denied entry into Basaveshwara Temple to offer prayers by members of upper castes leading to violence.

Preparations were done for holding a two-day fair starting on Friday while the chariot fest of Goddess Durgaparameshwari at Hariharapura, adjacent to Singaranahalli, was to take place on Saturday but the fair got cancelled after tension at the village over a demand by Dalits to enter Basaveshwara Temple to offer prayers. 

Though, a meeting was held by the Assistant Commissioner Vijaya, Additional Superintendent of Police Shobha Rani and others to allow dalits to enter the temple, it proved unsuccessful with upper castes sticking to their decision to bar entry of Dalits.

The situation turned violent when a group of villagers pelted stones and a few others locked up officials in a room. They were freed only after SP Rahul Kumar arrived.

In the stone pelting incident, about 10 police personnel were injured. As a precautionary measure, police have clamped prohibitory orders in Singaranhalli. Additional police forces have been deployed in the village to prevent any untoward incident. 

A villager told DC  that Singaranahalli, Hariharapura and five other villages join together to hold the annual fair of the deity.  Villagers perform pujas at Basaveshwara Temple at Singaranhalli and also at Hariharapura.

A couple of months ago, three Dalit women who had entered Basaveshwara Temple, were driven out by members of the upper castes and later, the temple was locked up only to be re-opened for giving it a coat of paint ahead of the fair.