Five families of Pappanam Patti village in Ramanathapuram district, who recently converted from Hinduism to Christianity, have reportedly been ostracized by the villagers for refusing to pay annual tax of Rs 200 to the local temple for a festival.
According to officials, the families had filed a complaint with Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police, Duraisamy saying that three generations of thei family have been living in the village and regulary paying tax. After their conversion to Christianity recently, they stopped paying tax for the Muniappaswamy temple festival.
Following this, the villagers disconnected their water connections and prevented them from using common facilities like pathways. Hence they were not in a position to reside in the village, they said and sought the intervention of the DYSP to settle the matter.
"We were stopped from using the common facility from September 7. We are now living in the church at Natham village. The Kamuthi Thasildhar did not take any action though we gave a complaint," said Rajangam, one family member.
Christian Liberation movement president Stanley Babu Raj threatened to hold a demonstration in front of the Kamuthi taluk office if no action was taken by the authorities concerned.
{{/usCountry}}Christian Liberation movement president Stanley Babu Raj threatened to hold a demonstration in front of the Kamuthi taluk office if no action was taken by the authorities concerned.
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