All-party delegation meets Villupuram Collector, urges intervention to ensure no caste discrimination at Droupadi Amman temple

An all-party delegation, led by Villupuram Member of Parliament D. Ravikumar, met Villupuram Collector C. Palani on Monday, and submitted a memorandum asking that all devotees, without any caste discrimination, be allowed inside the Droupadi Amman temple in Marakkanam.

An all-party delegation, led by Villupuram Member of Parliament D. Ravikumar, met Villupuram Collector C. Palani on Monday, and submitted a memorandum asking that all devotees, without any caste discrimination, be allowed inside the Droupadi Amman temple in Marakkanam.

In the memorandum, Mr. Ravikumar said the temple had been under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) for the last 45 years. The HR&CE Department had taken control of the administration by appointing a Temple ‘Fit Person’ (Thakkar) on April 12. However, one section discriminated against Adi Dravidars and continued to prevent them from entering the temple. Though several rounds of talks were held by the district administration to break the impasse, there has been no solution to date, he said.

The delegation also asked the administration to remove the priest from the Droupadi Amman temple for practising caste discrimination and initiate legal action against him.

Mr. Ravikumar urged the administration to intervene and ensure that all devotees, without any caste discrimination, be allowed inside the temple. The administration should take action against those who prevent Adi Dravidars from entering the temple, he said.

The delegation also urged the administration to immediately appoint a Board of Trustees at the Droupadi Amman temple and 1,068 other temples under the control of the HR&CE Department in Villupuram district.

“The administration should also ensure equality in all temples in the district. The Collector should seek a detailed report from the Joint Commissioner of HR&CE on whether all devotees, without any caste discrimination, were allowed to enter the temples and offer worship,” Mr. Ravikumar said.

Representatives from the CPI, CPI (M), SDPI, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam and Dravida Kazhagam were part of the delegation.