Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Contradictions

Sir, — It was agonising to read the report that Dalits were not only prevented from contributing towards a temple festival in Chukkampatti village in Salem district of Tamil Nadu, but that their protests resulted in a 150-strong mob swooping down on their habitations, injuring six and breaking houses. In this hitherto `peaceful' village, some Dalits had managed to improve their circumstances and had built pucca houses. Apparently, their desire to contribute to the temple festival was not tolerated by others. It appears things have not changed in TN since Saint Nandanaar's day when the shrine of Nataraja was out of bounds for untouchables like him. Marginalisation is still the price of rural peace and Dalits continue to be persecuted after decades of rule by Dravidian parties which profess castelessness. The contradictions between precept and practice have got to be faced and resolved. Unless Hindus themselves denounce the oppression of upwardly mobile Dalits and take on the responsibility of moving courts to get justice for them, the much-talked-about `universality' and `tolerance' of Hinduism will not mean much at all.

Vasantha Surya,

Chennai

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