After being allegedly prevented from conducting the temple festival, about 250 Dalit families in Vedaranyam and Karur on Monday have threatened to convert to Islam, according to The New Indian Express.

The story was reported by C Aruvelraj and S Godson Wisley Dass of The New Indian Express.

Two hundred Dalit families of Pazhangallimedu in Karur said that they were not allowed to carry out the temple festival and 35 families in Nagampalli claimed that they were not allowed to enter the Mahasakthi Amman temple, which was built with their contributions.

In Pazhangallimedu, the annual Aadi festival is conducted at the Bhadrakali Amman temple for which the caste Hindus enjoy Mandagapadi rights. However, the Dalits claim that the temple was built in their locality and was later shifted to the current place after floods many years ago.

N Senthil, a functionary of a pro Dalit party told TNIE that although they do not have any proof of the temple’s existence in their locality, their ancestors had told them about it. 

The Dalits said that members of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath had met them to talk about their decision to convert to Islam. A few right wing organizations have also contacted them and said they would find a solution to this problem.