CHENNAI: On the occasion of Social Justice Day, the district administration facilitated the entry of Adi Dravidar community members, who were previously denied access to the Pidari Ettiyamman temple in Vazhudambedu village of Gummidipoondi taluk in Tiruvallur district.
Last month, residents belonging to the Adi Dravidar community asked for the assistance of Gummidipoondi tahsildar to worship the temple deity during the Kumbabishekam ceremony.
Following this, a peace meeting was held on August 8 by the tahsildar and DSP with representatives of the SC and MBC community wherein it was agreed that all the demands of the SC community would be met by the MBC community.
However, after the Kumababishekam ceremony on August 9, a dispute arose regarding access to the temple’s pathway. As a result, entry to the temple was denied to the Adi Dravidar community, once again. Subsequently, the revenue officials sealed the temple, and legal action was taken against those responsible on the grounds of discrimination.
A peace meeting was again held with both parties by Collector T Prabhushankar and SP Srinivasa Perumal on August 12 wherein both communities were advised to uphold equality and peace.
As a goodwill measure, developmental works worth `76 lakh were also promised to be sanctioned as a special allotment. Both parties unanimously agreed to end the dispute and it was decided to open the temple for worship.
On Monday, the seal was opened and around 100 people belonging to the Adi Dravidar community entered the temple along with representatives from the MBC community and worshipped the deity in the presence of the collector and SP.