PUDUCHERRY
Kunichampet village, which comes under the Mannadipet constituency, has a population of nearly 4,500. Of them, Vanniyars form 40%. Nearly 300 families of Dalits live in the colony, while members of the Reddiars, Mudaliars and Naidu community form the rest of the population.
In this village, where Dalits live in a separate colony, even their gods and temples have been separated. There is a Vinayaka temple in the colony and one for the caste Hindus in Kunichampet village.
Ms. Radha's cousin Kathavarayan said: “We stayed peacefully in the village because we prayed in our temples in the colony and never went to their place.
They do not come here and we never enter their temples.
The two-tumbler system is still practised in tea shops in Kunichampet ooru. It is an unwritten rule that has been here for over several years. No one dared to question fearing backlash. We only need police protection. We do not have money and cannot file a complaint since the girl lives with her mother. We do not need to complicate the problem. We need a better solution.”
MLA denies charge
Mannadipet MLA T.P.R. Selvame denied that there was untouchability practice in the village. “Some miscreants have uploaded this video on social media. There is no discrimination based on caste. I have seen Dalits praying in the temple. There must have been some miscommunication between the girl and the others on that day. We have called elders from both the community and sorted out this issue. We have clearly said that anyone can go to the temple and pray," he said.
The Puducherry Union Pradesh Students Federation leader Swaminathan condemned the untouchability practice in Puducherry. In a press statement, he said the government should initiate action against those who denied entry into the temple for a Dalit under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
