MAYILADUTHURAI: Hundreds of Dalit villagers from Sembonkudi in Namasivayapuram panchayat here staged a road blockade on Tuesday , threatening to boycott the upcoming elections if they were not given equal rights to worship in a local temple under HR&CE Department administration on Chithirai festival.
They alleged that people from a BC caste are denying their rights to conduct worship through a custom named ‘Mandagapadi’ at Shri Mariamman Temple in Sembonkudi on Chithirai festival which will take place on April 14.
“We have contributed for the consecration at the temple. The people from the BC community refuse to let us conduct our ‘Mandagapadi’ because we are from the Scheduled Caste community. If we do not get our Mandagapadi, we will boycott the elections,” said a villager.
There are three villages in Namasivayapuram panchayat - Kalyanacholapuram, Namasivayapuram and Sembonkudi. A revenue official said the Scheduled Caste community are the highest population in the villages.
The SC villagers also alleged that the people from BC community are refusing to let them carry a deity idol on procession through the streets where people from SC community are residing predominantly.
Officials from revenue and police departments reached out to Sembonkudi and pacified the villagers. They assured to find solutions for the issue between the two communities.
Shri Mariamman Temple in Sembonkudi is under HR&CE Department. When contaced by TNIE, Joint Commissioner of HR&CE Department in Mayiladuthurai S Mohanasundharam said, “The right to worship in temple customs like Mandagapadi cannot be refused to anyone based on caste. There is no objection if the villagers are contributing.”
The official added that the idol procession would undergo smoothly without any issues.