Satish and Shwetha’s ordeal began two years ago when they travelled to the temple in Hulikere village of Maddur taluk in Mandya to perform a ritual for their son
When the couple raised objections at being denied temple entry, they found little support locally, with village leaders failing to intervene or ensure access. (AI Generated)
When the couple raised objections at being denied temple entry, they found little support locally, with village leaders failing to intervene or ensure access. (AI Generated)
After a two-year battle that took them to multiple authorities, including the Human Rights Commission, a Bengaluru-based Dalit couple were finally able to enter the Basaveshwara Temple in Mandya district this week — a reminder that caste-based discrimination in places of worship continues to persist in parts of India despite constitutional guarantees.
Satish and Shwetha’s ordeal began two years ago when they travelled to the temple in Hulikere village of Maddur taluk in Mandya to perform a ritual for their son. The priest, however, allegedly denied them entry on the basis of their caste. When the couple raised objections, they found little support locally, with village leaders failing to intervene or ensure access.
With no immediate resolution in sight, the couple chose to pursue legal remedies — an often long and arduous process for victims of caste discrimination. They approached multiple authorities, including the Social Welfare Department, the Human Rights Commission, the Civil Rights Enforcement Directorate, and the Mandya district police, seeking enforcement of their basic rights.
India’s Constitution guarantees equality before the law under Article 14 and explicitly abolishes ‘untouchability’ under Article 17, making its practise in any form a punishable offence. Additionally, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, criminalises the denial of access to public places, including temples, on caste grounds. Despite this legal framework, incidents of Dalits being denied entry into temples or facing segregation during religious practices continue to be reported from several states, pointing to a gap between law and on-ground implementation.
In this case, the couple’s persistence eventually paid off. Officials facilitated their entry into the temple this week under police protection. Accompanied by Maddur Tahsildar Parushuram Sattigeri, Satish and Shwetha were able to offer prayers — an act that should have been routine, but instead became the culmination of a prolonged fight for dignity and equal access.
Satish works as a driver, while Shwetha is an accountant in a private company. Their case underscores both the resilience required to challenge entrenched social practices and the continuing need for stricter enforcement of anti-discrimination laws in India.
Courtesy : News18
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