By The Observer Post
Wedding hall owners in Sivanmalai, Kangeyam (Tiruppur district), are under scrutiny following allegations of caste discrimination against Scheduled Caste (SC) communities. According to district officials, an investigation has been launched into claims that Dalits are being denied bookings for auspicious events, including weddings, at halls near the Sivanmalai foothills.
P Kalimuthu, district secretary of the Aathi Thamizhar Munnetra Kazhagam, raised the issue, saying that SC people are often refused bookings even though many families from various districts visit the Murugan Temple at Sivanmalai to conduct marriages with hopes of divine blessings.
“There are around 20 wedding halls in the area. Two are run by caste-based trusts, and the rest are private. All of them are expected to follow norms allowing bookings from all castes. But in practice, Dalits are denied access,” said Kalimuthu. “Owners fear losing customers from dominant castes if they allow SC people to use their halls. As a result, Dalits are forced to use village temples or put up tents at home for weddings and receptions.”
He added that only a few hall owners with a sense of social responsibility rent to SC families. “The state must investigate and take proper action,” he said.
A local Dalit villager shared a positive example: “There’s a hall one kilometre from the Sivanmalai foothills on the Kangeyam-Tiruppur road. The contractor there is also Dalit, and SC families are allowed to book it.”
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