Temple car procession held with token Dalit participation

Kandadevi, Tamil Nadu, July 9: With token Dalit participation, the police ensured successful conduct of the controversial Sorna Moortheeswarar temple car procession in this tiny village, making it a ritual and not a festival.

Plainclothes policemen, in large numbers, joined the few select devotees to tow the gigantic car around the vast temple tank this evening, bringing down the curtain on the tension-ridden ten-day festival.

Five Dalit youth, who attempted to pull the ropes of the car were allegedly chased away. Many Dalits alleged that they were prevented by both the police and the dominant castes from taking part in the event. Only two dalits were allowed to have that 'honour', said Sekhar from the Dalit colony in Kandadevi.

Barring this incident, the festival passed of peacefully and official sources said 20 Dalits, selected already, had pulled the car.

Sivaganga District Collector M A Siddique said instead of looking at the number of Dalits, their participation, including that of functionaries of the Puthiya Thamizhagam (PT), a Dalit Party, should be seen as a positive sign.

In the presence of Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister K R Periya Karuppan, the event was held.

Contrary to earlier apprehensions, preventive detentions were very few and police said there were only 13 such arrests. The need for such a drastic step was obviated by the promulgation of prohibitory orders not only in Kandadevi but in the entire Devakottai Revenue Division. Functionaries of radical political outfits, Dalit parties and organisations and rights activists were prevented since last evening from entering the village.

For 68-year-old S Sathaiah, the festival would be a celebration only when Dalits are accorded equal rights and honours, which would require a more powerful assertion.

Only after the car procession commenced people started arriving at the venue, though the crowd was far lesser than last year, which also witnessed the police being the pivotal force behind procession rolling on. Locals said people, kept in groups separately, were allowed to proceed to the temple only after the commencement of the procession.

The state machinery was put on high alert with about 4,000 police personnel deployed for security. Besides an Additional DGP and the South-Zone IG and a DIG, seven SPs, 15 Additional SPs, 27 Dy SPs, 87 Inspectors and 200 Sub-Inspectors were drafted for duty. The strong police force included 1200 personnel belonging to the RAF and SAF. Further, eleven check posts, 38 pickets and 12 watch towers have been set up in and around Devakottai sub-division. As part of the security measures, zoom cameras were installed around the temple premises to keep a watch on the movements of mischief mongers.

The exception being the CPI and CPI(M-L), which have carried out a poster campaign demanding the Karunanidhi Government, which enacted a law to ensure people of all communities became temple priests, conduct the car fest with the participation of all.

Dalit leaders Thol Thirumavalavan of the Dalit Panthers of India and Dr K Krishnasamy of the PT were detained at Madurai while proceeding to Kandadevi.

CPI(M-L) leader T Pandian alleged that the police and the administration had ensured perpetuation of casteism and untouchability in the conduct of the festival.

UNI