Temple entry row: Yechury praises Dalits

Community Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, on Sunday, visited Sigaranahalli in Holenarasipur and greeted the Dalits who led the struggle seeking entry into a temple in the village.

The ‘upper castes’ of the village had allegedly restricted the entry of the Dalits into the Basaveshwara Temple in the village and allegedly imposed a penalty on four Dalit women who had entered the temple.

Mr. Yechury congratulated Thayammma and Padmamma, who were asked to pay a penalty, for raising their voice against the injustice.

Interacting with residents of the Dalit colony, Mr. Yechury said, “Since Dalits got entry into the temple through the struggle, the ‘upper caste’ of the village had stopped visiting the temple. This shows how Dalits are treated in India even six decades after Independence.”

He assured the people that the party and organisation would stand by the Dalits in their struggle for their rights.

G.V. Srirama Reddy, CPM State secretary and former MLA, pointed out that seeking entry into a temple alone would not be sufficient for the Dalits. “There are bigger questions related to the life of Dalits. We need the equal distribution of resources,” he said.