TN Dalit families denied entry into temple, to convert to Islam
- About 250 Dalit families from two villages in Tamil Nadu are planning to convert to Islam after being denied access to local temples
- Six of them have already resorted to conversion
- Dalit families in these villages feel conversion is the only way to end discrimination
FollowAfter being refused the right to enter local temples in Tamil Nadu, about 250 Dalit families from two villages in the state are planning to convert to Islam.
According to The Indian Express, 180 families in the village have been refused to perform rituals in the local temple for its annual festival. This has already made six families in Pazhangkallimedu village in Nagapattinam district convert to Islam.
"We want to perform Mandagapadi or lead the rituals, on one of the five days of the annual temple festival. But we are denied that right. My parents and grandparents were slaves. I wish my generation does not have to face untouchability and insults. Conversion may be the only option for us." Senthil Kumar, the leader of Dalit party VCK, said.
A senior police officer said that negotiations are on, and the temple authorities even suggested that they can conduct puja during the day; however, the Dalits were not happy with the suggestion.
B Abdul Rahiman of the Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamaat, a Muslim organisation, said, “After we had got calls from some villagers, our volunteers visited them. They wanted to convert, but that can't be done simply, as Islam is a way of life and cannot be embraced out of anger. We suggested that they study the religion and come back to us. We distributed copies of the Quran, as they requested. Six of them, who convinced us about their understanding of Islam, converted four days ago."
Meanwhile, around 70 Dalit families in Nagapalli village in Karur district believe converting to Islam is the only way to "end discrimination". According to the Dalit households in the village, they had constructed their temple in the village however caste Hindus returning from Sri Lanka are taking over the temple.
P Vetrivel, president of the Dalit temple trust, said, "There were many temples in our village, but we (the Dalits) had to build one separately. But for the last two years, caste Hindu families who returned from Sri Lanka have been denying us entry and trying to occupy the temple. Neither the police nor the government has helped us. They started controlling the temple claiming we were not doing the rituals properly. Now they want to conduct festivals without Dalits."
