Denied temple access, Dalit converts to Islam

Mar 14, 2015 02:03 AM , By Mohammad Ali source : m.thehindu.com/

Shyam Singh and his community were told by the

priest that they could not perform puja at the

Baghpat Valmiki temple. Photo: Shivam Agarwal

A month ago, he called himself Shyam Singh.

Now he declares himself “Azad” (liberated). The

symbolic name not only sums up his situation,

but is also his new identity.

Shyam, a member of the Dalit Valmiki community

in Moga village of Meerut, converted to Islam two

weeks ago.

A landless labourer, he didn’t convert only

because the community was denied access to a

prominent Valmiki temple, located in nearby

Baghpat district, to perform the traditional puja.

He changed his faith also because of the

“continuous threats and harassment” he and his

fellow community members had to face from the

local law and order officials after he persisted

with his demand to have the right to perform puja

at the temple.

The temple is controlled by the dominant Yadav

community, and the priests had problems with the

Valmikis performing puja. After their efforts to get

equal rights failed, they announced that they

would convert to Islam. Last week, the Meerut

administration booked Shyam and his family for

“disturbing peace and communal harmony” by

persisting with their demand to perform puja at

the temple and the announcement about

converting to Islam.

In November last year, Shyam and his community

members were told by the priest that they didn’t

have any rights to perform puja.

‘What is the point in being a Hindu if I can’t

enter a temple’

Since November last year, Shyam has petitioned

the District Magistrates of Baghpat and Meerut,

and the National Commission for Scheduled

Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He also petitioned

the Prime Minister’s Office.

“What is the point in being a Hindu and having

this sacred thread around my wrist if I can’t even

enter a temple and perform puja,” he argued.

While Shyam has converted to Islam, his fellow

Valmikis, numbering over 100, are scared and

don’t want to raise the issue. They are thinking of

migrating to some other part of the State to

escape official harassment.

Shyam himself now plans to migrate to Nepal.

Interestingly, the announcement of the conversion

plan by Shyam and his fellow Dalits provoked

immediate attention from right-wing Hindu

outfits, which requested them not to convert.

“All of them wanted us not to convert to Islam,

but none of them want us to get equal status

among Hindus. This is how we have historically

and traditionally been cheated,” said Shyam.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Baghpat, Rajendar

Singh told The Hindu that the Valmikis were

denied permission to perform the elaborate puja

in their own style as it was a “new” religious

tradition.