Barred entry, Dalits to offer prayers at Bengal temple under police cover today
The village, located nearly 150 kilometres from state capital Kolkata, has nearly 130 Dalit families with 550 members.
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Members of Dalit families at Gidhagram village in Purba Bardhaman district recently. (Photo: Partha Paul)The administration in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district on Tuesday said members of the Dalit community from Gidhagram village in Katwa sub-division would perform puja at the local Shiva temple under police protection on Wednesday.
So far, they were barred from entering the Gidheswar Shiv Mandir, which according to locals is nearly 200 years old.
The village, located nearly 150 kilometres from state capital Kolkata, has nearly 130 Dalit families with 550 members.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Katwa Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) Ahimsa Jain said, “In a meeting today, it was decided that they will offer prayers at the temple from tomorrow. We will not allow any discrimination to continue. Though we had held a meeting on February 28 as well, there remained some issues.”
Ekkori Das, a Dalit resident from the village, said, “The SDO today called a meeting in the presence of senior officials and two MLAs. We were told that five persons from our community will be allowed to offer puja at the temple tomorrow.”
“We were assured that adequate police force and senior officials of the administration will be present here. We will offer fruits and flowers at the temple. Four women and a man will go to perform puja,” he added.
The temple in Gidhagram village in Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal. (Photo: Partha Paul)
The Dalit families, who live in the Daspara locality of the village, were not allowed to enter the temple despite their pleas to the district administration and the police, highlighting ‘untouchability and discrimination’.
Keeping in mind a possible law and order situation, they are trying to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner, the administration officials said.
“For years we were not allowed to climb the steps and enter the temple in our village. Whenever any of us tried to enter the temple, the temple committee and locals stopped us,” said Ekkori.
Ahead of Shivratri in February last month, the residents written to the district administration (SDO and block development officer) and the police, highlighting how they were treated an untouchables, called ‘chhoto jaat’ (low caste) and told that God and the temple will get impure if they get inside.
During the February 28 meeting called by the SDO, a resolution was passed, stating, “racial discrimination has been banned through the Indian Constitution and everyone has an equal right to worship. Therefore, the Daspara families will be allowed to enter the Gidheswar Shiv Mandir at Gidhagram.”
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