The simmering differences between Hindus and Hindu Dalits in Nagapattinam and Karur districts of Tamil Nadu reached a flashpoint with more than 250 Hindu Dalit families deciding to embrace Islam in what is being seen as the mass conversion since the incident which took place in 1981 in Meenakshipuram village in Tirunelveli district.
Abdul Rehman, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath told The Pioneer that six families have already converted into Islam following discussions the office bearers of his organisation had with Dalit families in these districts. "Six Dalit families had decided to convert to Islam and we facilitated it. Others were ready to convert but we told them to learn at least the basics about Islam before taking a final decision," said Rehman.
The Dalit families are from Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district and Malaikovilur in Karur district. Their decision to leave Hinduism is a fall-out of the atrocities being committed against them by the Hindus, according to Rehman. While members of the Dalit community were denied the right to participate in the Vedaranyam temple festival, the Malaikovilur Dalits were prohibited from entering the Mahashakthi Amman Temple in the village. Sadly enough, the Dalits in Malaikovilur say that the temple was built using their contribution.
The Vedaranyam Temple comes under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department of the Tamil Nadu Government. But the Hindus continue to keep the Dalits off the temple much to the dismay of the latter.
A top RSS functionary, who spoke to The Pioneer on condition of anonymity, said the caste Hindus were intransigent and unreasonable in their stance. "All temples under the administration and management of Brahmins welcome the Dalits with open arms. But the Hindus managed temples remain out of bound for the Dalits. We have been trying for years to make the Hindus understand the cruelty behind this discrimination but without success," said the RSS leader.
Vijayakumar, president of the BJP's Nagapattinam district youth wing said the party leadership was busy for the last four days because of the meeting convened by the State president. "We will try to speak to both the sections to sort out the issues," said Kumar.
Rehman said the move by Thowheed Jamat was only from the point of human dignity and equality. "We have offered them a life with dignity and equality. There is no kind of discrimination in Islam based on colour of the skin or the family in which one was born. Our top priority is human right. The remaining Dalit families are being taught about Islam," he said.