CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered the opening of the Sri Dharmaraja Draupadi Amman temple at Melpathi, which has remained out of bounds for devotees after a clash between Dalits and caste Hindus, for public worship.
Devotees have been denied entry into the temple in Villupuram district since June 7, 2023 following the order passed by the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) to seal the temple after caste Hindus attacked three Dalits when they tried to enter the temple during an annual festival.
The HC, in an interim order last year, allowed the temple to be opened only for a priest to perform poojas.
Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan, while disposing of two petitions seeking opening of the temple for regular poojas and worship by the public, passed the order. He directed government authorities to take action if anyone attempts to create law and order problems.
Government advocate K M D Muhilan appeared for the respondent authorities.
RDO had ordered closure of Melpathi temple
Muhilan told the court that currently the temple is being opened from 6am to 7am every day for performing only poojas as per the interim order passed last year. After the RDO ordered the temple to be sealed, two petitioners, S Raji and G Gandhi, had approached the HC seeking a direction to unseal the temple and allow people to offer worship.
They said keeping the temple sealed, without performing the daily poojas, would invite the wrath of the deity and it should be opened forthwith. On March 18, 2024, Justice N Anand Venkatesh passed interim orders directing the authorities to open the temple in the morning only for performing poojas by a priest without allowing any devotees into it. No one will be permitted to enter the temple (apart from the priest) until further orders, Justice Anand Venkatesh had ordered.