Don't put caste names in temple fest invites: HC

OBSERVING that temple festivals should be inclusive and celebrated by all people belonging to the Hindu religion, including those belonging to Scheduled Caste communities, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently criticised the exclusion of an SC community from the invitation of a temple festival on the ground that they did not donate any money to the event.

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It further ordered the authorities not to mention any caste names in future invitations of the temple concerned.

A bench comprising Justices MS Ramesh and AD Maria Clete passed the order on a petition filed by KP Selvaraj, president of the Naduvikottai Adi Dravidar Welfare Association, seeking a direction to print 'Adi Dravidars,' instead of 'Oorars' (referring to the villagers), in the invitation for the annual festival at the Pattukottai Nadiamman temple in Thanjavur.