The State government has termed as baseless the allegations that members of the Chakiliya community, a Scheduled Caste community at Govindapuram in Palakkad district, were victims of untouchability and that they were ill-treated and tortured.
In an affidavit filed in the Kerala High Court on Friday, the government said no discrimination was shown at tea shops or hotels in the colony towards the members of the community. Nor they faced any threat from the other communities residing in the colony.
Nothing could be brought out substantiating the allegation of untouchability or communal discrimination in the place as alleged during the inquiry by the police. The inquiry had revealed that all the problem had arisen as a consequence of a love affair between a Chaklia girl and an Ezhava boy.
The government said no caste discrimination was practised with respect to the use of the place for burial of bodies. All the communities were using the Purampuzha area for burial of bodies as there was no public burial ground. The community was not barred from cremating bodies of their members. Besides, all the three temples in the area were open to the general public irrespective of their caste or community. No person was living in the temple belonging to the community.
The affidavit was filed in response to a writ petition filed by the Republican Party of India and two members of the Chakiliya community alleging practice of unaccountability in the area. The petition sought an inquiry into the discrimination and untouchability being practised by the non-Scheduled Caste community, mainly Gowdas, in the village and submission of a report in the High Court.
