Salanpur (West Burdwan): Protests erupted in West Burdwan’s Salanpur block on Sunday after locals belonging to the Bauri community alleged they were being prevented from entering a Durga temple in Karmakar Para of Athora gram panchayat.Community members gathered outside the temple around 11am, locked its main gate and staged a demonstration against the alleged discrimination.A large police contingent was deployed at the location who managed to pacify protesters who subsequently called off the agitation.Locals said members of the Bauri community have been offering prayers at the temple for decades.However, during the Rath Yatra celebrations this year, when the shrine was re-consecrated and a Kalash Yatra was organised, members of the community were allegedly denied entry.Iti Bauri, one of the protesters, said: “This has been a public Durga temple for the past 15 years. It was re-consecrated on the occasion of Rath Yatra. Now, people from three localities are saying that Bauri community members will not be allowed to enter the temple.”Temple community members declined to comment on the allegations.
