Dalits barred from entering temple in Telangana’s Siddipet

The dalits approached the Markook police, seeking action against those who prevented them from entering the temple.

Siddipet: In a disturbing case of alleged caste discrimination at the Shivaru Venkatapur village in Markook mandal, some upper caste villagers prevented persons from the dalit community from entering the newly built Durgamma Temple in the village.

The dalits approached the Markook police, seeking action against those who prevented them from entering the temple. According to dalits in the village, Shivaru Venkatapur is organising four-day festivities to mark the temple’s inauguration. The villagers invited all their relatives to celebrate the festival grandly.

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When the village committee organised Annadhanam during the festivities, the temple committee collected rice from the villagers, including the dalits.

However, upper caste people allegedly objected to dalits entering the temple and offering Bonam to the Durgamma temple. The issue sparked heated arguments between the dalits and the temple committee. However, they refused to allow them into the temple.

Depressed over the development, 30 dalit families approached the police. After coming to know about the incident, representatives of Dalit Bahujana Front (DBF), Kula Vivaksha Porata Samithi (KVPS) and other dalit organisations reached the village on Wednesday and staged a protest. Accompanying the local dalit families, they entered all the temples and offered prayers. Later, they also staged a protest at Markook police station.

Speaking on occasion, DBF national secretary P Shankar asked Collector M Manu Chowdary and Commissioner of Police Dr B Anuradha to visit the village to enquire into the incident. Shankar demanded the Commissioner to arrest the people who objected to the entry of dalits into the temple.

Inspector Mahendar Reddy and SI Damodar said a probe was on into the incident.