Kerala Devaswom Minister Radhakrishnan says he faced caste discrimination at temple

Kerala’s Devaswom Minister, K Radhakrishnan, has disclosed that he encountered caste-based discrimination during a visit to a temple for an inaugural event. Radhakrishnan, a member of the Scheduled Caste community, recounted that two temple priests refused to hand him the ceremonial flame intended for lighting the main lamp during the event.

Instead, the priests proceeded to light the main lamp themselves and subsequently placed the flame on the ground, seemingly expecting Radhakrishnan to retrieve it and light the main lamp. The minister shared this experience while addressing an event organized by the Bharatiya Velan Service Society (BVS).

Radhakrishnan’s account detailed the incident at the temple where he attended the function. He expressed his initial assumption that the priest would hand him the flame for the lamp lighting tradition but was surprised when it was not offered to him. Despite this incident, he did not provide additional specifics about the location or date of this occurrence.

As the Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes, Radhakrishnan represents the Chelakkara constituency in Thrissur district. His political career has included roles such as Minister for the Welfare of Backward and Scheduled Communities and Youth Affairs, Opposition Chief Whip, and Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly.