The Pachchaayaththu Madasamy Temple in Sambankulam village in Tenkasi district was razed down by the police after receiving a complaint from the Muslims of the village who had earlier objected to the renovation of the temple citing that ‘it affects the privacy of their women’.
Locals say that radical elements belonging to the Popular Front of India and Social Democratic Party of India are trying to riff up communal tensions in the village where Muslims are a majority.
It was reported that the temple was built on a patta land and that the Nadar community in the area have been praying at the temple for generations. The Pachchaayaththu Madasamy is also a kula deivam (family deity) for many which is run by Pacchaimal family who are the hereditary trustees of the temple.
The temple’s earthen base was being renovated so that it does not get eroded during the rains and a cement structure was put for the same purpose. However, Muslims being the majority in the village had opposed the construction saying that “it would allow the temple’s devotees to see their women folks taking a bath.”
They complained to the district administration and police who within no time descended on the village and demolished the temple with a JCB.
Following this Pacchaimal, the village head of Sambankulam and the owner of the land complained to the District Magistrate on behalf of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Maha Sabha and the village public. He called for taking strict action against the officials, police and JCB driver Kumar. He called for terminating the employment of officials immediately and warned that black flags would be placed in front of every house as a mark of protest.
In his complaint he said that over 160 Hindu Nadar families live in the village but are outnumbered by Muslims. He said that most of his community members are illiterate and depend on agriculture. He mentioned in his complaint that the land bearing patta numbers 1598 and 1376 housed a temple for the forest deity where during the month of Chithirai the earthen base was changed with a new one and festivals were celebrated.
However, the festivals were cancelled owing to the lockdown and they commenced works to change the earthen base.
He says that Hindus and Muslims lived peacefully and treated each other as brothers and sisters. He alleged that some of the Muslims belonging to radical outfits are fomenting trouble.
“They demolished the temple merely based on a complaint from the majority Muslim community. This would pave the way for a communal clash in our village. Being the majority, they objected and complained to the district administration and police. Within no time, the police descended on the village with JPCs and razed our temple ignoring all our pleas”, Pacchaimaal, owner of the land was reported to have said.
He added that the administration neither listened to the Hindu’s side nor did they listen to the fact that the temple stood on a patta land owned by Pacchaimal family who are the hereditary trustees.
However, authorities cited that the temple stood on a poromboke land and no approvals were obtained and went ahead with demolishing the temple.
Hindu Mahasabha leader Tha. Balasubramanian visited the demolished area and extended his support to rebuild the temple there.
Source: Organiser