Doctors attend to dalit patients at a makeshift camp outside the temple. Dalits said they would be imposed a f... Read More

UKKARAM ( ERODE ): A medical team that went to Kethampalayam near Sathyamangalam a day after the breach of Lower Bhavani Canal ’s bund was shocked when dalits of the village were not allowed to enter a temple premises where they conducted a camp for flood-hit people. On November 8, a bund of the canal breached flooding three villages, including Kethampalayam.

Next day, the district administration set up a medical camp on the premises of Mariamman temple at Kethampalayam to check and treat villagers who had spent the whole night in floodwaters.

The temple was constructed and owned by people from the Naicker community of the village. The village has 160 Naicker and 25 dalit families.

A visit to the village by TOI found a separate spot earmarked for dalits outside the temple to attend the camp. While people from the Naicker caste were checked and given treatment inside the temple premises, dailts were given treatment outside the temple.

A doctor in the camp told TOI that they were strictly instructed by Naickers not to treat dalits inside the temple premises. “Naickers say the temple and the deity would become unholy if dalits enter the temple,” she said, adding, “We had no other option but to set up a separate camp for dalits outside the temple.”

K Thenmozhi, a dailt villager, said, “They will impose a fine of Rs 1,001 if we cross or enter the temple premises. This discrimination has been there for many generations.”

However, dalits have constructed a separate ‘ Madurai ’ Veeran temple in the village and perform puja there. R Jagadeesan, one of the village heads and a Naicker, said, “Dalits will not come to our temple as they have a separate temple.” He, however, admitted that they will impose fine not only for adults but even if a child enters the temple.

When contacted by TOI, vicechairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes L Murugan said he would investigate the issue. “I will take up this issue suo motu and will direct the district collector and police SP to take immediate action against the errant villagers,” he said. Collector C Kathiravan also promised to look into the issue.

