CHENNAI: Dismissing a Public Interest Litigation, the Madras High Court on Thursday asked even after 75 years of independence, we cannot celebrate BR Ambedkar Jayanti simultaneously with a temple festival in the village, What will people think about our country?

K Sivaprakasam from Mathakadi village, Nagapattinam filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Madras High Court stating that there was a caste riot occurred between Hindu Kallar community and the Schedule Caste community regarding paying respect to Dr Ambedkar's portrait at Pattavarthi bus stand and the police registered cases against both the parties and brought the riot under control.

"Thereafter, on April 14, 2022 the Hindu Kallar community decided to celebrate the Chithirai festival at the Kathayi Amman temple in the village. On the same day, the VCK people (belonging to the SC community) had also planned to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti. To avoid untoward incidents, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) conducted peace talks with both the parties.

"Since the talks failed, RDO had imposed prohibitory orders preventing public gathering of more than two people from 6 am on April 13, 2022 to 11.59 pm on April 17, 2022. Similarly, this year also the prohibitory orders should be imposed to avoid clashes between two communities, " the petitioner prayed to the court.

When this Public Interest Litigation came up for hearing before the division bench comprising acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, the court wondered why a temple festival and the Ambedkar's Jayanti could not be allowed to take place simultaneously in a village and dismissed the petition saying that it is the police's duty to ensure both events take place peacefully.

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