VILLUPURAM: Will the dominant caste people ever allow Dalit families to enter the local temple at Melpathi village in Villupuram district?
A visit to the village makes one realise that it's like asking for the moon.
Because caste discrimination runs deep here.
Melpathi is divided into two habitats — 'oor' where the caste Hindus live and 'colony' or 'cheri' where Dalit families live.
Kathiravan (21), who along with his two brothers were assaulted by the dominant caste people on Friday for trying to enter the Shri Dharmaraja Draupati Amman temple, reside in the 'colony'.
Kathiravan and his brothers had tried to enter the temple on the occasion of the ninth day of the annual festival in the temple but were brutally beaten up.
"My childhood friend spewed casteist slurs on me. He took the side of the caste Hindu men when I asked him to allow me inside the temple. I was shattered," Kathiravan told The New Indian Express.
Sources said that for over 70 years, Dalit families of Melpathi village were barred entry into the temple which is administered by the state government's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department.
"About six months ago, when the deity Dharmaraja was re-instated, we were allowed inside. However, the deity was covered with a screen that day. They allowed us inside only because officials including district collector were present for the event," said V Venkatesan (45), a resident of the colony.
We spoke to over 12 persons from the 'oor' where the incident happened. But no one except a 55-year-old resident responded. He said, "You should not even click pictures of the temple because the goddess Draupati will become angry. Now think of what happens if a Dalit person enters it. The deity and the century-old tradition followed by us (caste Hindu Vanniyars) will be polluted."
A tea shop owner, tea maker, and several customers including five youths near the temple refused to respond to the questions regarding the incident. The panchayat president R K Manivel too was not available for comment.
After the incident, a peace meeting was held between the representatives of the Dalit community and caste Hindus at the RDO office in Villupuram on Saturday.
Sources said that the meeting failed to resolve the issue as the caste Hindu representatives were unwilling to let the Dalits into the temple. The meeting will be convened again on Monday to finalize the matter. Until then, the complaint filed by the Dalit victims is kept on hold, official sources confirmed.
Superintendent of Police N Sreenatha told The New Indian Express, "The complainant's side had requested to sort the issue through peace talks. However, if they come forward and lodge a complaint we will certainly take action."