HC questions ‘hypocrisy’ over naming of hotel in Srirangam

Says caste, community markers in the name of establishments quite common

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, while quashing lower court proceedings initiated against the members of the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, questioned their hypocrisy over their opposition towards the naming of a hotel as ‘Sri Krishna Iyyar Parambariya Bramanal Cafe’ in Srirangam.

“In Madurai, where the High Court Bench is situated, there are hotels named after castes and communities. ‘Konar Mess’ and Mudaliyar Idly Kadai’ are two well-known instances,” observed Justice G.R. Swaminathan. He said, “Speaking for myself, I used to regularly visit ‘Reddiyar Mess’ in Pondicherry for lunch, during college days.” Throughout the highways, one could find a number of bakeries and coffee shops named as ‘Iyengar Bakery’, the court observed.

The court observed that it was open to the proprietor concerned to name his hotel as ‘Sri Krishna Iyyar Parambariya Bramanal Cafe’. It was not the case of the petitioners that untouchability was practiced or that only a particular community was allowed into the premises, which would have been a violation of fundamental rights under the Constitution, the court observed.

The court was hearing the case of the petitioners who sought the quashing of lower court proceedings initiated against them. The court took cognizance of the fact that there was no actual commission of violence and the accused had spent over three weeks in custody. Moreover, the petitioners were from all over Tamil Nadu and it would cause hardship for them to attend the criminal trial. The petitioners were booked by the Tiruchi police after they had opposed the naming of the hotel in Srirangam in 2012.

Source:-http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/hc-questions-hypocrisy-over-naming-of-hotel-in-srirangam/article24126742.ece