http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/29/stories/2007092951540300.htm
Tamil Nadu - Salem Reopen temple, Dalits demand Special Correspondent SALEM: Various Dalit outfits staged a demonstration near the Collectorate here on Friday urging the Salem District administration to reopen the Sri Draupathi Amman temple, which had been put under the lock and key following the dalits attempt to enter it. These outfits under the common banner of the `Forum to Retrieve Worshipping Rights of Sons of Soil, insisted that the temple being maintained by the Tamil Nadu governments HR and CE Board, should not been closed on the insistence of caste Hindus who refused to permit dalits to enter the temple. The members of the outfits also wondered how Tamil Nadu government could meekly surrender to the caste Hindus demand thus violating its Constitutional obligations, which decry untouchability. They demanded that the temple should be immediately opened and dalits should be allowed to enter into it to offer worship. Miscreants in the crowd broke the windowpanes of an auto rickshaw. Traffic near the Collectorate was diverted to avoid any untoward incident. Dalit Peoples Movement, SPEEDO, Dalit Protection Movement, Puratchi Bharatham, Pudia Thamizhagam, RPI, Dravida Ambedkar Makkal Katchi, Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam, Adi Thamizhar Peravai, Dalit Sena and Bhajun Samaj took part in the stir.
