Untouchability row: Kerala minister misunderstood ritual, no discrimination proven towards anybody, says monks affiliation 

By PTI

KANNUR: The alleged untouchability incident towards Kerala Devaswom minister Ok Radhakrishnan was a ‘misunderstanding’ of the rituals and no particular person is discriminated towards in temples, an organisation of conventional excessive monks within the state stated on Wednesday.

The state committee of the Akhila Kerala Thanthri Samajam stated monks who’re performing ‘deva pujas’ don’t contact anybody, be it Brahmin or non-Brahmin, until the identical will get over.

It questioned if there was any “ill intention” in stoking an argument out of a problem, that it claimed “technically ended eight months ago” and alleged “an innocent act” was getting used to create communal polarisation.

The Samajam is an affiliation of conventional excessive monks who’re the authority on the rites and rituals practiced in most of Kerala’s shrines.

In the incident in query, the ‘melshanti’ (chief priest) — who was performing a puja — was requested within the final second to come back and lightweight the lamp because the temple thanthri (conventional excessive priest) was absent.

After lighting the lamp, he went again to finish the puja and the identical was misunderstood as untouchability by the minister and he expressed his displeasure on the spot, the monks’ physique stated in a Facebook publish.

At the identical time, it questioned whether or not there was some “ill-intention” behind turning the incident — which had “technically ended eight months ago” — into an argument now.

The organisation stated that in Kerala tradition, cleanliness noticed in temples was purely religious and claimed it was not caste-based discrimination.

It stated a critical case has been lodged towards the 2 monks, who have been working in a temple beneath the Malabar Devaswom Board, merely on the idea of their caste.

It additional claimed that ignoring the fact, some folks have been insulting the temple’s melshanti and his group based mostly on the minister’s assertion.

“Such persons are attempting to misread an harmless act and create communal stress within the society.

This can solely be thought-about as a transfer for creating communal polarisation by claiming the presence of untouchability in Kerala,” it contended within the publish.

The monks urged devotees to not become involved in such “malicious” controversies aimed toward disrupting the communal concord within the society.

ALSO READ | V D Satheesan seeks motion towards temple monks who discriminated towards Kerala Minister

On Tuesday night, the CPI(M) state secretariat had condemned the incident and stated it was shameful for Kerala.

The Left occasion stated that at one time caste-based oppression, together with untouchability was prevalent in Kerala, however it disappeared over time as a result of Renaissance, nationalist and communist actions.

It additionally stated social inequities that arose as a result of historic causes are nonetheless prevalent and the federal government was working to discover a resolution for them.

The CPI(M) urged folks to be vigilant towards such practices and eradicate them.

Radhakrishnan, who hails from the Scheduled Caste group, had on Monday stated two monks of a temple refused at hand over the small lamp that they had delivered to mild the primary lamp positioned on the venue for marking the inauguration on the shrine.

Instead, they themselves lit the primary lamp, and after that positioned the small lamp on the bottom, considering that he would take it, he had alleged.

Though the minister did not reveal the identify of the shrine, information channels aired the visuals of the latest inauguration of “nadapandal” at a temple in Payyanur in Kannur district, during which the minister participated.

It could possibly be seen within the visuals that the monks weren’t handing over the small lamp to the minister and inserting it on the bottom.

Radhakrishnan had later stated caste system was a “stain” within the minds of sure folks and it was not straightforward to take away it immediately.

The Devaswom minister had clarified he didn’t intend to show the incident into an argument and simply tried to sensitise folks concerning the social evil.

He had additionally reiterated that discrimination was proven solely in the direction of folks and never cash.

Radhakrishnan had additionally indicated he was not going to pursue any authorized motion towards the discrimination he confronted.

On the opposite hand, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had condemned the alleged caste discrimination confronted by his cabinet colleague and stated follow-up motion on the matter might be taken after discussing it with him.

Vijayan had termed as “shocking” Radhakrishnan’s disclosure.

Leader of Opposition within the Kerala meeting V D Satheesan too had sought stringent motion towards the monks who allegedly discriminated towards the minister.

The Congress chief stated if anybody is attempting to carry again untouchability, even after 100 years of the Vaikom Satyagraha, it must be taken very severely, and the federal government has to take stringent motion towards the folks involved.

Terming the incident as ‘surprising and unlucky’, Satheeshan had additionally requested why the minister hid this reality for thus lengthy.

Radhakrishnan, a member of the central committee of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), is the Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes and Devaswoms.

He represents Chelakkara constituency of Thrissur district.

KANNUR: The alleged untouchability incident towards Kerala Devaswom minister Ok Radhakrishnan was a ‘misunderstanding’ of the rituals and no particular person is discriminated towards in temples, an organisation of conventional excessive monks within the state stated on Wednesday.

The state committee of the Akhila Kerala Thanthri Samajam stated monks who’re performing ‘deva pujas’ don’t contact anybody, be it Brahmin or non-Brahmin, until the identical will get over.

It questioned if there was any “ill intention” in stoking an argument out of a problem, that it claimed “technically ended eight months ago” and alleged “an innocent act” was getting used to create communal polarisation.googletag.cmd.push(operate() googletag.show(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

The Samajam is an affiliation of conventional excessive monks who’re the authority on the rites and rituals practiced in most of Kerala’s shrines.

In the incident in query, the ‘melshanti’ (chief priest) — who was performing a puja — was requested within the final second to come back and lightweight the lamp because the temple thanthri (conventional excessive priest) was absent.

After lighting the lamp, he went again to finish the puja and the identical was misunderstood as untouchability by the minister and he expressed his displeasure on the spot, the monks’ physique stated in a Facebook publish.

At the identical time, it questioned whether or not there was some “ill-intention” behind turning the incident — which had “technically ended eight months ago” — into an argument now.

The organisation stated that in Kerala tradition, cleanliness noticed in temples was purely religious and claimed it was not caste-based discrimination.

It stated a critical case has been lodged towards the 2 monks, who have been working in a temple beneath the Malabar Devaswom Board, merely on the idea of their caste.

It additional claimed that ignoring the fact, some folks have been insulting the temple’s melshanti and his group based mostly on the minister’s assertion.

“Such persons are attempting to misread an harmless act and create communal stress within the society.

This can solely be thought-about as a transfer for creating communal polarisation by claiming the presence of untouchability in Kerala,” it contended within the publish.

The monks urged devotees to not become involved in such “malicious” controversies aimed toward disrupting the communal concord within the society.

ALSO READ | V D Satheesan seeks motion towards temple monks who discriminated towards Kerala Minister

On Tuesday night, the CPI(M) state secretariat had condemned the incident and stated it was shameful for Kerala.

The Left occasion stated that at one time caste-based oppression, together with untouchability was prevalent in Kerala, however it disappeared over time as a result of Renaissance, nationalist and communist actions.

It additionally stated social inequities that arose as a result of historic causes are nonetheless prevalent and the federal government was working to discover a resolution for them.

The CPI(M) urged folks to be vigilant towards such practices and eradicate them.

Radhakrishnan, who hails from the Scheduled Caste group, had on Monday stated two monks of a temple refused at hand over the small lamp that they had delivered to mild the primary lamp positioned on the venue for marking the inauguration on the shrine.

Instead, they themselves lit the primary lamp, and after that positioned the small lamp on the bottom, considering that he would take it, he had alleged.

Though the minister did not reveal the identify of the shrine, information channels aired the visuals of the latest inauguration of “nadapandal” at a temple in Payyanur in Kannur district, during which the minister participated.

It could possibly be seen within the visuals that the monks weren’t handing over the small lamp to the minister and inserting it on the bottom.

Radhakrishnan had later stated caste system was a “stain” within the minds of sure folks and it was not straightforward to take away it immediately.

The Devaswom minister had clarified he didn’t intend to show the incident into an argument and simply tried to sensitise folks concerning the social evil.

He had additionally reiterated that discrimination was proven solely in the direction of folks and never cash.

Radhakrishnan had additionally indicated he was not going to pursue any authorized motion towards the discrimination he confronted.

On the opposite hand, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had condemned the alleged caste discrimination confronted by his cabinet colleague and stated follow-up motion on the matter might be taken after discussing it with him.

Vijayan had termed as “shocking” Radhakrishnan’s disclosure.

Leader of Opposition within the Kerala meeting V D Satheesan too had sought stringent motion towards the monks who allegedly discriminated towards the minister.

The Congress chief stated if anybody is attempting to carry again untouchability, even after 100 years of the Vaikom Satyagraha, it must be taken very severely, and the federal government has to take stringent motion towards the folks involved.

Terming the incident as ‘surprising and unlucky’, Satheeshan had additionally requested why the minister hid this reality for thus lengthy.

Radhakrishnan, a member of the central committee of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), is the Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes and Devaswoms.

He represents Chelakkara constituency of Thrissur district.