Tamil Nadu   

Reopen temple within four weeks: court

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Salem RDO to reopen the Draupadi Amman temple there within four weeks.

Disposing of a writ petition by Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan, a Division Bench, comprising Justices P.K. Misra and M. Sathyanarayanan, directed officials, including the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Commissioner and the Salem Police Commissioner, to ensure adequate protection to the Scheduled Castes for entering the temple and offering worship.

The Bench said if the petitioner filed an application before the Salem Police Commissioner to take out a ralyy to protest against the denial of entry for the SCs to the temple, the Police Commissioner could deal with it in accordance with law after providing an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.

In his petition, filed by counsel T. Mohan and R.Vijaya, Mr. Thirumavalavan said the temple at Kandampatti was renovated and being maintained with donations and contributions from all communities. Kumbabishekam was performed in 1999 with the participation of all communities.

In the recent past, due to simmering discord between Vanniars and Dalits, attempts were made to prevent the Dalits from offering worship. Even after a peace committee meeting, the situation persisted. The petition stated that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DC), Law and Order, Salem, rejected a request by P.M. Imayavaramban, Salem city secretary of the VCK, to take out a rally to establish the right of worship and to protest against the closure of the temple by the RDO. It claimed that the impugned order was illegal and arbitrary. The Bench said as the RDO’s order to close down the temple was unsustainable. The DC had also taken a stand that in the event of a rally being allowed, it had to pass through routes and areas where people belonging to other community were dominant and there would be a law and order problem.

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