The Kerala High Court on Wednesday directed the police to provide protection to members of the Chakiliya community, a Scheduled Caste community at Govindapuram in Palakkad district, who have taken shelter in their temple following alleged threats from a non-Scheduled Caste community.
The order was passed on a writ petition filed by the Republican Party of India and two members of the Chakiliya community alleging the practice of untouchability in the area. The petition sought an inquiry into the discrimination and untouchability being practised by the the non-Scheduled Caste community, mainly Gowdas, in the village and submission of a report in the High Court.
The court, while issuing the order, directed the State government to respond to the allegations of the petitioners.
The petition said as many as 600 members of the Chakiliya community resided in the Ambedkar colony at Govindapuram. The petitioners alleged that they were victims of untouchability. Two separate taps were installed in a water tank for drawing water — one for the Scheduled Caste members and the other for the non-Scheduled Caste members. They were allowed to use the tap meant for the Scheduled Caste members only after the use of the other tap by the non-Scheduled Caste members. Funds meant for the Scheduled Caste members were diverted for the use of other communities.
Temple entry denied
As they were not permitted to enter temples in the area, they had constructed a temple of their own. The petitioners further alleged that in tea shops and hotels in the area, the Chakiliyans were provided teas in separate glasses. Even dead bodies of members of their community were allowed to be cremated only in their cemeteries and not in public crematorium.
There had been no response to their complaints lodged before the police seeking action against the lawbreakers. Thereafter, the Gowdas came to their colony and threatened them that they would be driven out of their homes. The Superintendent of Police, Palakkad, had come there and forced them to withdraw the complaint. The police were threatening to implicate them in narcotic cases. They took shelter in their temple in view of threats held out by the Gowdas.
The petitioners also sought an inquiry into the use of funds allotted for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes in the area.
