550 Dalits not allowed to enter Bengal's Shiva temple; Mamata government offers no resolution: Report

One person said the upper caste individuals who do not allow them to enter the temple do collect money from them for puja every year.

Casteism is preventing 130 Dalit families in a West Bengal village from visiting their local Shiva temple. Despite knocking on the police and administration's doors, the social evil continues to plague these 550 people.

In the centre of the storm is Purba Bardhaman district, where villagers of Gidhagram are denying people of lower castes who live in the nearby Daspara from stepping into the local Shiva temple, as per a report by Indian Express.

550 men, women, and children from 130 Dalit families in the region are fighting for their right to access the temple.

“We don’t even have the right to climb the steps, let alone enter the temple and pray. Even a meeting with the administration couldn’t change that,” a Dalit man told the publication.

There has been no solution to this issue despite district administration and police officials being informed of the same and a meeting being held on February 28.

While officials claim that they are approaching the situation with caution considering law and order, the sufferers are saying that the administration is unnecessarily delaying the issue.

The 200-year-old temple in question, Gidhagram Gidheshwar Shiv temple, is in the centre of the escalating row.

“For years, we have not been allowed to climb the steps and enter the temple. They call us ‘choto jaat (low caste) and ‘muchi jaat’ (cobbler caste). It’s either the temple committee or the locals who stop us,” one person told the publication.

“Last year, I took fruits and flowers to offer puja. But members of the temple committee forced me to leave,” a woman from Daspara said.

Another said that the upper caste individuals who do not allow them to enter the temple do collect money from them for puja every year.

The Daspara residents were also not allowed to access the temple during Shivratri.

A complaint was launched with the block development officer (BDO), the sub-divisional officer (SDO) and police on February 24.

A meeting was called by the SDO with all stakeholders, and a decision was made to allow the Dalit families to enter the temple.

“Racial discrimination has been banned through our Constitution. Everyone has the right to worship. Therefore, Das families will be allowed to enter Gidheawar Shiv Mandir in Gidhagram,” a resolution passed at the meeting stated, as per the report.

A resident of Daspara told the publication that it was told that they would be able to access the temple from March 1, but on Feb 28, police officials told them that they cannot visit the temple because there might be a deteroriation of the law and order situation otherwise.

One upper-caste individual, who is insistent on maintaining the age-old discriminatory custom, said, “I don’t want to talk on the issue. One should not hurt the feelings of the majority in the village.”

There are over 1,800 upper caste families in the village in contrast to only 130 Dalit families.

The SDO and the up-pradhan of the local gram panchayat also told the publication that everyone has equal rights and they are trying to come to a solution.

"People of Daspara are Scheduled Caste from the cobbler community. They are not allowed in the temple. They want to worship, others will not allow them. We are caught in between. We want to avoid a clash and a law and order problem. We are ashamed. As a public representative, we cannot allow discrimination to continue," the up-pradhan told the publication.