Dailypioneer

Agencies/Coimbatore: Alleging ill treatment by caste Hindus, about 1,000 Arundhatiyars (a sub sect of Scheduled Caste) of a village near Palladam have enmass embraced Christianity on Friday night.

The members, belonging to over 200 families of the village K Ayyampalayam, have alleged that they were being "humiliated and harassed" by caste Hindus for the past 10 years. Tamil Nadu Aundhatiyar Jananayaka Munnani (Democratic Front) president S T Kalyanasundaram said that the mass conversion was solemnised at a simple religious function organised by a priest.

Kalyanasundaram alleged that the members of the families were ill treated and not allowed to participate in a temple festival in the area, held in the first week of this month.

Despite various representations to the administration, no justice was rendered, instead false cases were foisted against some members, he alleged. Stating that these families had no other option but to go for a mass conversion, Kalyanasundaram said that the formal baptism was scheduled this evening.