Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] district secretary P. Jayarajan has denied that Azhikkal Pampadi Alinkeezhil Temple here is practising 'untouchability' and discrimination against the Scheduled Caste community families.
Mr. Jayarajan in a statement here on Sunday after visiting the temple, called upon Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to refrain from making 'false allegation' against the temple.
His visit followed the observation of fasting by Dalit activists under the aegis of the Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS) alleging that Dalit families were shown ostracism in connection with a ritual procession of the temple managed by a CPI(M)-controlled committee.
BJP State unit president Kummanan Rajasekharan had lent support to the agitation by the JRS.
Referring to the controversial ‘ezhunnallippu’ (ritual procession) which the JRS alleged was not visiting the households of Dalits, Mr. Jayarajan said that as in many 'kavus', the 'ezhunnallippu' in the temple here also visit only specified households as part of the temple custom.
Only the general body of the temple devotees had the right to change the custom, he said adding that even the local BJP had agreed to accept the general body decision. The CPI(M) leader said that a BJP worker was in the temple committee for 10 years.
The BJP leaders owed an explanation as to why the traditional conduct of the 'ezhunnallippu' had not changed when he was in the committee.
Mr. Jayarajan, who went to the temple with party State committee leader M.V. Jayarajan and area committee leader K.P. Sudhakaran as also Pattikajathi Kshema Samithi leaders, said that before 1970, the SC families in the area had been allowed 'darshan' of the deity (Bhagavathi) at a spot located a little away from the temple.
The SC families then had paid their offerings as 'adimappanam' (payment by serfs), he said adding that such practices had been changed since then. As a result, people of all castes were granted freedom to participate in all rituals and practices of the temple, the CPI(M) leader said.
He said that the visiting party delegates saw a SC girl being weighed at the temple as part of the 'thulabharam' ritual. They also saw a Muslim man making 'egg offerings' at the temple. Marriages in SC families in the area were being solemnised at the temple, where the priest blessed the newly married couples by catching their hands, he said.
