TIRUNELVELI: Opposing the proposed temple entry of Dalits, all the 200 upper caste Hindu families, along with their cattle left Panthapuli village near Sankarankovil (under Karivalamvanthanallur police station limits) on Friday morning and took shelter at the nearby Ettiseri hillock.
Their extreme step was in response to the proposal to allow Dalits in to temples on December 17.
Efforts taken by revenue officials to pacify the 400-odd large community went in vain, as they took all their belongings and left to the nearby hillock.
Clashes between the Dalits and upper caste Hindus has been a regular feature in the area.
The Dalits had been denied permission to offer prayers at Kannanallur Mariamman Temple at Panthapuli, near Sankarankovil, resulting in the temple remaining closed for 10 years.
The Dalits had approached the Sankarankovil sub-court, which directed the police department and village administration officer to ensure the entry of Dalits in to the temple.
Following the court’s directive, a peace committee meeting was held at Sankarankovil Taluk office on September 17 and it was decided that Dalits would be allowed to enter the temple on September 23.
However, those who went to the temple on September 23 found the temple door closed.
The officials then assured that they would be allowed to enter the temple on September 29.
However, that promise also did not materialise due to an unstable law and order situation.
In this backdrop, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) recently announced that the Dalits will be taken in to the temple on December 17, under the leadership of CPM State Secretary, N Varadharajan.
On Friday morning, the upper caste Hindu families, opposing the entry of Dalits in to the temple, claimed that the officials were acting in favour of Dalits.
The villagers have said that they would return to only after the officials assured them that the Dalits would not be permitted to enter the temple on December 17.
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