Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu

A struggle goes for Dalit dignity in the village of Thenmudiyanur, nestled within the Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu as higher caste Hindus boycott a temple after Dalits were begun to be allowed in it. According to Frontline Magazine, Dalits were long excluded from the local temple. However, after demands and political pressure from the CPI (M) and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the district administration granted access to the Dalits on January 30, 2023 the temple was closed. The temple’s priest, belonging to a backward caste, gave up his post. However, after a series of peace meetings, the temple reopened in August 2023, only to be boycotted by the higher caste community. A new temple has now been erected according to reports, where the higher caste Hindu communities are preparing to go to pray.

Bengaluru, Karnataka

In Karnataka’s Bengaluru, a Dalit professor named Ravi Bagi, has made allegations of caste discrimination against the National Education Society’s management following his transfer to a different college. Bagi, who is a teacher of Kannada has asserted that the institution’s management is being discriminatory against him and have reportedly “demoted” him even though for a year, he has been urging the college to furnish a letter supporting his PhD guideship to Bengaluru University. However, he has been transferred to teach pre-university students now, according to Hindustan Times.

The transfer has reportedly relocated Bagi from Basavanagudi National College, where he taught both undergraduate and postgraduate students, to Jayanagar National College where he will now be teaching pre-university students. According to the HT report, he has stated that he feels “marginalised”, “There have been no complaints regarding my competence or performance. Suddenly, the management has demoted me from teaching PG and UG to Pre University. I feel marginalised due to my Dalit identity.” 

Narauli, Uttar Pradesh

After the Republic Day function at Sardar Singh Inter College in Narauli town, two students reportedly assaulted and beat up a Dalit student who had finished his speech on Dr BR Ambedkar with the chant ‘Jai Bhim-Jai Bharat’. The victim has filed a complaint after which a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered by the police. The police have stated that they are actively investigating the matter. The FIR was filed at Baniya Ther police station and it includes charges under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The incident highlights the importance of addressing and preventing discrimination within educational institutions. 

Related:

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Clashes broke out between the Dalit community and the privileged castes in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh as the Dalits were denied entry in a Shiv temple on the day of Mahashivratri. After a physical altercation, stones were pelted by both groups, wherein 14 persons were injured.

In Chhapra village, Sanawad in Khargone over 100 persons in two separate cases have been booked as either side filed an FIR in this matter. Premlal, a Dalit filed an FIR alleging that one Bhaiya lal Gurjar from Gurjar community stopped Dalit girls from entering the temple.

Sub Divisional Officer of Police Vinod Dixit said that there were already tensions between the two communities in connection with a proposal to construct a statue of BR Ambedkar near the temple and the cutting of a banyan tree, reported Scroll.

A #Dalit women #ManjuBai was abused by caste & shoved by women for offering water to the #Shivlinga in #MadhyaPradesh‘s #Khargone.

The dispute led to the clash & stones were pleated from both sides leaving 14 injured.

2 FIRs, one from each, were lodged & over 100 people booked. pic.twitter.com/FgL11O6U1X

— Hate Detector ? (@HateDetectors) February 20, 2023

Another similar incident took place in Chhoti Kasrawad village where Manju Bai, a Dlait owman was prevented from praying at the Shiv temple. Manju Bai alleged that she was abused over her caste and shoved by other women who objected to her offering water to a Shivling. While a case has been filed, the woman prayed at the temple amidst police protection.

Last year as well, during Mahashivratri, Khargone saw a similar incident where a priest, Vijay Barvey, denied entry to a Dalit woman at a temple in Dendla village. Despite multiple requests the priest maintained that a Dalit cannot enter the temple.

This takes us back to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Kalaram temple Entry movement of March 1930 which was more than just a movement for the right to enter a temple. It was a movement for equal rights. Dr Ambedkar viewed temple entry as a means of parity and not as an end goal of the depressed classes.

“If the Hindu religion is to be their religion, then it must become a religion of Social Equality. The mere amendment of Hindu religious code by the mere inclusion in it of a provision to permit temple entry for all, cannot make it a religion of equality of social status. All that it can do is to recognise them as nationals not aliens, if I may use the common terms which have become so familiar in politics. But that cannot mean that they would thereby reach a position where they would be free and equal. , without being above and below anyone else, for the simple reason that the Hindu religion does not recognise the principle of equality of social status : on the other hand it fosters inequality by insisting upon grading people as Brahmins, Kshatrias, Vaishyas and Shudras, which now stand toward one another in an ascending scale of hatred and descending scale of contempt,”  said Dr Ambedkar in his argument denying support to Dr. Subbarayan’s Temple entry Bill.

Denial of entry to a temple not only violates right against discrimination under Article 15, right to equality before law (Article 14) of the Constitution but also violates Article 17 that abolishes untouchability.

Related:

TN: Over 200 Dalits Enter Village Temple in Tiruvannamalai Amid Protests From Dominant Castes

K’taka HC says downtrodden still unable to do business like “upper caste”

Tamil Nadu: Dalit family in Thoothukudi allegedly denied use of road to crematorium

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