NAGAPATTINAM : After finding itself under the intense glare of national media, the district administration at Nagapattinam seems to have convinced the Dalit families in Pazhangkallimedu village against converting to Islam in protest, with the latter agreeing to submit a formal petition seeking equal rights in the local temple.
This followed an hour-long meeting between representatives of the families and Nagapattinam Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) on Thursday, during which the official obtained written statement from them denying reports of their mass conversion over the denial of ‘Mandagapadi right’ at Bhadra kaliamman temple by caste Hindus. They also agreed to submit a petition to the Joint Commissioner of State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department seeking equal rights and abide by the order it passes, said RDO Jeyaraj, after holding discussions with the representatives of the nearly 200 families.
“There is no caste tension in the village. The Dalit community members have agreed to approach HR&CE. They have given me a written statement denying media reports on mass conversion, and that none has embraced any other religion over this row,” the official told Express.
But this may not be the full picture. One of the representatives of the Dalits said it was the concern for the safety of these families that prompted them to give the statement. “I signed on the statement without even reading its content. We just want our people to be safe,” N Senthil, a VCK leader, said. A compromise seems to have reached where the Dalits would be allowed partial rights to conduct the festival. These leaders are now talking with the families to accept for now the officials’ suggestion of a partial right, and then approach the court in future.