The Madras High Court on Thursday rued that there still existed concerns of caste tensions if Ambedkar Jayanti and a religious festival are to be celebrated together, Bar and Bench reported.

“If even 75 years after independence, we cannot celebrate Ambedkar’s birth anniversary simultaneously with a temple festival in a village, what will people think about our country?” the court questioned.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy was hearing a petition seeking orders to prohibit large gatherings in Pattavarthi village of the Nagapattinam district on April 14. The judges dismissed the petition and observed that authorities should make arrangements so that both the events can be held, The Hindu reported.

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The petitioner wanted the court to pass orders to stop gatherings either for the celebration of Ambedkar Jayanti or a local temple festival, both of which fall on Friday.

The petitioner told the court that in December 2021, caste clashes had broken out in the village. Members of the Scheduled Caste community had organised an event to pay respects to Ambedkar at a local bus stand and on the same day, upper caste Hindus were celebrating a festival at the village temple.

However, the court held that the police were equipped to make adequate security arrangements and directed the authorities to take steps to ensure both events take place peacefully, Bar and Bench reported.

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