Row over alleged discrimination at public crematorium in Kerala's Palakkad

Thiruvananthapuram: The allocation of space for setting up a shed by a prominent upper caste Hindu community at a public crematorium at Palakkad in Kerala has triggered allegations of discrimination.

Even as the Palakkad municipality has clarified that no sorts of discrimination will be allowed, the move continues to invite criticism as the state has been witnessing several instances of discrimination in recent times.

The decision of the BJP-ruled Palakkad municipality to allot 20 cents of land at Mattumantha public crematorium to the local unit of the Nair Service Society, an outfit of the upper caste Hindu-Nair community, to construct a shed triggered allegations of discrimination as the NSS unit tried to construct a compound wall at the land allotted to them.

Palakkad municipal chairperson Prameela Sasidharan said that NSS Valiyapadam unit was only allowed to construct a shed for common use. They tried to construct the compound wall without permission and it was already stopped.

"No sorts of discrimination will be allowed at the public crematorium," she told DH.

But the issue has invited criticism from social leaders. It is learnt that some other communities had also raised similar demands with the municipality. The Brahmin community was earlier allowed to set up a shed at the premises.

Satchidananda Swami, president of the Sivagiri mutt, a major pilgrim centre of the Hindu-Ezhava community, flayed the incident.

"Several incidents that cause defame to progressive Kerala are happening these days. The recent instance is the alleged discrimination at a public crematorium in Palakkad. Recently the state also witnessed the police torture of a dalit woman over a false robbery complaint and the assault on a dalit youth after being tied up. It is high time that those who are concerned realise the dangers behind such trends. Such incidents are a shame for the left-front government in Kerala," Satchidananda Swami said in a statement.