Kerala Government blames Koodalmanikyam Devaswom Board administrator, tantric collective for discriminating against a backward-class employee

Kerala’s Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan told the Assembly that the government was investigating the administrator of the Koodalmanikyam Devaswom Board (KDB) for allegedly discriminating against a temple employee belonging to the backward class Ezhava community on caste lines.

Replying to a submission moved by Congress legislator A.P. Anil Kumar, Mr. Vasavan said the administrator acted out of line with the law after the temple’s tantric collective objected to B. Balu’s presence in the precincts as Kazhakam employee, citing his caste origins.

He said neither the KDB chairperson nor the Board were privy to the administrator’s illegal order.

Mr. Vasavan said per KDB’s regulations, the temple has two non-ritual Kazhakam posts. The temple’s tantric collective reserved the right to nominate a person to one of the Kazhakam posts. The Kerala Devaswom Recruitment Board (KDRB) filled the second post through due process.

Mr. Vasavan said the KDRB posted Mr. Balu as a Kazhakam employee following due process. He noted that the tantric collective had not filled the allotted post and rotated temporary employees on daily wages.

Mr. Anil Kumar accused the KDB of violating Article 17 of the Indian Constitution by practising untouchability. He said the government was protecting the KDB chairperson and board from prosecution.

Mr. Anil Kumar demanded the government book the KDB and the temple’s tantric collective for “violating” Article 17 and, thereby, the provisions of the Untouchability (Offences) Act 1995.

(The law carries a punishment of up to six months of imprisonment and a fine of ₹500 for a first-time offender.)

He said the KDB added insult to injury by organising a “ritual cleansing” of the temple premises after it transferred Mr. Balu.

Mr. Anil Kumar said the discrimination of a Devaswom employee on caste lines was a blot on Kerala’s progressive tradition.

He said Kerala was celebrating the 100th year of Sree Narayana Guru’s historic meeting with Mahatma Gandhi at Sivagiri Madhom.

“It is profoundly distressing to note in the Assembly that pockets of caste prejudice and feudalistic practices considered confined to history’s dustbin still thrive unchallenged in Kerala,” Mr. Anil Kumar said.