LDF, UDF call for hartal against Centre for not declaring Wayanad landslides a national disaster
The ruling CPI-M-led LDF and the Opposition Congress-led UDF in Kerala called for a hartal in the Wayanad district on Tuesday
As the allegation of caste discrimination at a temple by Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan sparked controversy with condemnations pouring in from all quarters, the Akhila Kerala Tantri Samajam attributed it to a misunderstanding of the rituals observed in temples.
Akhila Kerala Tantri Samajam is an organisation of traditional high priests in the state.
The Samajam, in a statement on Wednesday, clarified that the priests accept the devotees irrespective of their castes and the priest, who performs puja, does not touch anyone, be it a Brahmin or a non-Brahmin until the deva puja is over.
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“As per temple rituals, the priest who arrives for puja will not touch anyone until the Deva puja is over. They make no distinction between Brahmin and non-Brahmin in this regard. This is exactly what happened at the temple that sparked controversy,” the Thantri Samajam said in the statement.
The Samajam further said, “The head priest came to light the lamp in between the puja and returned soon after the lamp-lighting ceremony. His act was in no way a part of untouchability. However, the minister mistook it for untouchability and expressed his displeasure on the spot.”
The organisation of priests suspected that there could be a design to stoke a controversy out of an issue that was technically ended eight months ago.
The All Kerala Shanti Kshema Union also said that the minister’s allegation came due to a misunderstanding about the temple rituals. They also suspected that the allegation could be aimed at eradicating temple culture.
K Radhakrishnan had made a startling revelation about the alleged caste discrimination faced by him at a temple in the state where he had gone to be part of a function recently.
Radhakrishnan, who hails from the Scheduled Caste community, said he faced discrimination from the priests at the temple, who placed a lighted lamp on the ground instead of handing it over to him during a function.
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