TIRUNELVELI: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department on Saturday granted permission for a couple belonging to the SC community (Hindu Puthiraivannar) to conduct their wedding at Melavasal Balasubramanya Swami Temple in Palayamkottai, a day after TNIE published a report on their plight on Friday (July 4).
On June 24, the couple — J Gopal Sami and G Manju — submitted their application seeking permission to hold the wedding on the temple premises. However, the HR&CE staff at the temple rejected it, citing that their parents have Christian names. Their request was turned down despite the couple and their family possessing Scheduled Caste (SC) Hindu Puthiraivannar community certificates issued by tahsildars. Gopal said, “It should be noted that if members of the SC community practise Christianity, they can only obtain Backward Class (BC) certificates.”
Moreover, he said, “My late father, Joseph Sami, had been visiting Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple for over 15 years. The wedding engagement followed Hindu customs. Manju’s brother, G Manoj, recently got married at the Ilanji Kumarar Temple, managed by the HR&CE. Despite submitting these proofs, the temple staff rejected our application.”