http://www.deccanherald.com/content/171535/orissa-govt-resolve-issue-dalits.html
Orissa govt to resolve the issue of dalits' entry into temple
Bhubaneswar, Jun 25 (PTI)
Slammed by National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) over a
tradition banning entry of dalits into a Hindu temple in Puri
district, Orissa government today said it would look into the matter
and try to resolve it.
"We will look into it and see how the matter can be resolved," Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters, a day after NCSC Chairman L
Punia visited the temple premises at Ranapada village under Brahmagiri
area and attacked the state government for prevalence of the age-old
tradition.
Punia along with senior NCSC officials, rushed to the village on the
bank of Chilika lake yesterday after getting information on prevalence
of untouchability practice there.
Voicing serious concern, Punia said the main temple of Goddess Kali
had been closed before his arrival there. Temple authorities had also
removed a sign board which stated that Dalits were allowed only to a
particular place from where they could have 'darshan' of the Goddess.
Terming the age-old practice as a discrimination against dalits, the
NCSC Chairman said he would take up the matter at the national level
as the community had been put to socio-economic boycott by upper caste
people.
The Commission would also seek a report from the state government
asking it to explain as to why law had not been enforced to protect
the interest of dalits, he said adding it would take up the matter
with the state police chief and other concerned authorities.
"Media reports on dalit entry into the temple is correct and I
verified it. While upper caste people are allowed to go close to the
Goddess, the dalits are asked to keep themselves far away from the
idol. This is a clear case of violation," he said. The NCSC also
pointed out that three dalit girls were punished for entering into the
temple in September 2010. "We were told by the state government that
everything had been set right. One person was arrested and people had
been living peacefully," said director of NCSC, Kolkata S K Naskar,
who accompanied the chairman.
Though nine months have elapsed since the girls were punished for
entering into the temple, the socio-economic boycott is continuing.
The dalits are mostly engaged in share cropping and eke out living by
working in others' field. However, after the September 2010 incident,
they are not given work and subjected to miseries, Punia alleged.
During his interaction with upper caste people at the village and also
the priest of the temple, Punia was informed that dalits were denied
entry as it was against the tradition.
The villagers said their fore-fathers did not allow dalits to step
inside the temple and they would like to follow the tradition,
according to Punia.
Punia also met Chandana Bhoi, one of the young girls who visited the
Goddess in September 2010. She narrated her experience and sought
protection from the commission in the face of social discrimination,
he said.
Ranapada village has at least 80 Dalit families who are facing
socio-economic boycott for the last nine months, he said adding NCSC
would seek a report from the state government on the matter
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