http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CPM-march-to-Uthapuram-temple-foiled-cadres-arrested/articleshow/7399954.cms
CPM march to Uthapuram temple foiled, cadres arrested
TNN, Feb 1, 2011, 02.59am IST
MADURAI: About 800 CPM cadres were arrested in Madurai and Uthapuram
village on Monday when they tried to enter the Muthalamman temple,
where dalits are not allowed.
Uttapuram has been in limelight ever since it was revealed that
non-dalits had constructed a wall to segregate the dalit and non-dalit
settlements in the village in May 2008. The wall was demolished after
a campaign by the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF),
a wing of the CPM. The administration also agreed to end
discrimination of dalits and ensure their right to worship at the
Muthalamman temple in the village.
When dalits continued to be refused entry at the temple, the CPM
announced a temple entry programme on Monday. Fearing violence, the
police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of Criminal
Procedure Code (CrPC) in the village from January 28 to February 12.
Fourteen check posts were raised on roads leading to the village from
various parts of Madurai and over 1,200 police personnel under Madurai
SP M Manohar and Virudhunagar SP R Prabakar were deployed.
The region was tense after it was revealed that CPM workers would
enter the village in small groups through all possible routes. Just as
the group led by CPM state secretary G Ramakrishnan was about to start
from the party s city office, they were informed that district
collector C Kamaraj wanted to meet them. Nothing came out of the
meeting since the collector only made a request to call off the
programme.
The police blocked the road leading from the CPM city office and
refused to allow the march. Nearly 600 party cadres including 100
women staged a demonstration, which Ramakrishnan and another party
leader, Vasuki, addressed. They vowed to enter the temple and accused
the DMK government of failing the dalits. Later, they were arrested.
Another group led by Perumbur MLA Mahendran, TNUEF state secretary K
Samuel Raj and state executive committee member Ponnuthai were
arrested when they and 200 others tried to proceed to the temple with
pooja articles, garlands and flowers.
The two schools in Uthapuram were closed on Monday and buses to the
village cancelled to prevent any untoward incident. Most of the people
in the village remained indoors as police personnel patrolled the
streets.
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