For three years the priest had prevented Dalits from entering the temple. Women protested and successfully got a Dalit appointed as head of temple committee.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) – Dalit women in a Bihar village launched a peaceful protest against a temple priest in order to have their right to worship reinstated. Thanks to the support of the local administration and other residents Dalit women in Chandan Nagar, in Bihar's Purnea district, were able to have the local priest removed from the temple. They also successfully saw a Dalit appointed head of the temple committee.

"The protest helped us establish our rights," said Phuliya Devi, leader of the women.

For three years Dalit residents had been banned from the Durga temple, the All India Christian Council website reported.

This was not an isolated incident. In many parts of India high caste Indians have banned untouchables from entering temples to pray.

"Whenever we tried to visit the place and offer prayers, the priest told us that Dalits are not allowed inside the temple," said Madhuri Devi, one of the Dalit women protesters.

The priest had even barred Dalits inside the temple during the annual Durga Puja festival, one of Hinduism's main celebrations.

"The temple priest always forced us to offer prayer from outside and even used to throw away our offerings to the god," said Chanki Devi, another Dalit woman.

However, Dalit women in Purnea did not give up and fought hard against the discrimination. Their steadfastness paid off—the temple priest was removed at a recent public meeting called with the help of the local administration. S Rajak, a Dalit, was appointed head of the temple committee.

• india
• bihar
• purnea
• dalit
• women
• protest
• hindu
• temple