In another incident of caste-based discrimination in Karnataka, a Dalit man in Karatgi in Koppal district was forced to arrange a feast spending Rs 11,000 for entering a temple, said a police officer. The incident came to light on September 25, the police official added. "A Dalit man spent Rs 11,000 to arrange a feast for entering the temple. Our officers are investigating the matter," superintendent of Police T Sreedhara told PTI. This incident comes close on the heels of a Dalit family being penalised Rs 23,000 over their two-year-old son entering a temple in Kustagi
According to him, the incident came to light only on Friday and since then the temple management led by the priest raised an alarm and forced the man to organise the feast. Sreedhara said a few months ago, a theft had taken place in the village and it was decided that no one should enter the temple except the priest.
However, the Dalit man, whose identity has been withheld, entered as he had taken a vow to conduct some rituals. On September 14, he entered the temple ignoring the collective decision taken by the elders of the village. Other police sources said eight people have been detained in this connection.
According to a report in The Hindu, Karatagi police filed a suo moto case against eight persons—the priest, Revanayyaswamy, Shekharappa, Sharanappa, Prashant, Basavaraj, Durgesh and Kadappa Nayak—under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 and Sections 504, 149 of the Indian Penal Code.
The incident was a stark reminder of the September 4 incident when a Dalit family belonging to the Chenna Dasar community was harassed and asked to pay Rs 25,000 as penalty after their two-year-old son entered the temple in Miyapur village under Kushatagi police station limits in Koppal. Five people were arrested in connection with the incident and several awareness meetings were held to educate masses against the evil of caste based discrimination.
On September 4, Chandru’s two-year-old son entered Anjaneya temple in Miyapur village. Some elders, upset over the toddler’s entry inside the temple, told the family to pay Rs 23,000 for the purification of the temple as a penalty. Five people were arrested in connection with the incident and several awareness meetings were held to educate masses against the evil of caste-based discrimination.