The Madras high court has stayed the operation of the order of the superintendent of police, Villupuram district, which prohibited the Mariamman temple car procession through the state highway at Sankarapuram taluk in Villupuram.
Petitioner’s counsel Sathiachandran submitted that petitioner belongs to the Adi Dravidar community and is native of Seshasamudram village.
A state highway from Kachirapalayam to Sankarapuram passes through the village, where the dalit families stay on the eastern side of the highway and the dominant families on the western side. The dalits were not allowed to enter the temples on the streets of the dominant community.
Hence, 10 years ago, the dalits constructed a Mariamman temple in their area and perform poojas to the deity.
Every year, the dalits organise a festival during the month of Aadi and on the last day of the festival the deity is taken around in a procession in a bullock cart.
Only by using the state highway, can the cart reach the other street. The practice had been followed for more than a decade without any problem, the petitioner contended.
However, all of a sudden without any justification, the dominant community people objected to the procession of the temple car through the state highway.
But the superintendent of police passed the prohibitory order on September 9, 2012. Hence, the present petition, Sathiachandran said.