Representative image of the Sree Koodlamanikyam temple at Ininjalakuda in Kerala.
Credit: X/@chathootti
Thiruvananthapuram: The row over the alleged caste discrimination at a temple in Kerala is not ending with the resignation of the staff who faced the discrimination as another candidate being appointed in his place is also from the Hindu-Ezhava OBC community.
While the new appointee is set to join soon, a forum of the upper caste Hindu-Warrier community is planning to move legally against it claiming traditional rights over the post.
The row is over the post of 'Kazhakam' (garland making and associated work) at the Sree Koodlamanikyam temple at Ininjalakuda in Thrissur district.
Cherthala native K S Anurag, who is from the Ezhava community, has been issued advice memo by the Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB) to fill in for the vacancy that came up after Thiruvananthapuram native Balu B A resigned allegedly following alleged discrimination from tantris of the forward caste community.
Samastha Kerala Warrier Samajam general secretary V V Muraleedharan told DH that they would move legally against the appointment as the 'Kazhakam' post is traditionally reserved for the Warrier community.
"The matter need not be considered as any discrimination. The KDRB took over the recruitment to the post without consulting us, despite the traditional rights of a Warrier family on it," he said.
KDRB had taken over the recruitment to the 'Kazhakam' post as part of making all recruitments to the temples under the state devaswoms through the board.
Kerala Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan said that the government would ensure all sorts of protection to the fresh candidate and no discrimination would be allowed.
Balu had joined the 'Kazhakam' post on February 24. But temple tantris kept off from the rituals citing that Babu is from Ezhava community and the 'Kazhakam' post is traditionally reserved for members of the upper caste Warrier community. Succumbing to pressure the temple's devaswom board shifted Balu to a post in the office and a worker from the upper caste Pisharody community was entrusted with the 'Kazhakam' job.
After the matter became controversial Balu went on leave and later tendered resignation last week. Subsequently the KDRB selected the next candidate in the rank list Anurag, who is also from the Ezhava community.