Upper caste to oppse entry of dalits into Keradagada Temple

Kendrapada, Nov 03 (UNI) The decision of dalits to enter into the Keradagada Jagannath temple on November 19 next,has snowballed into a major crisis with the upper caste people in the area opposing the move.

A meeting was convened by Rajnagar Tahasildar and the local police yesterday to settle the issue but the dalits did not turn up though nearly 2000 upper caste people of five panchayats had converged to voice their concern over the call of dalits to force their entry into the temple.

The Upper caste people and temple sebayats however, made it clear to the local administration that they were hell bent to protest the entry of the dalits into the temple on November 19.

According to the temple priests, the temple was built by the Kanika royal family who had imposed a ban on dalits prohibiting their entry into the temple for worship.

They claimed while the order was still obeyed by most of the dalits in true letter and spirit,only a few dalits have opposed to the age old tradition and the restriction imposed by the Royal family.

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