The officials said no prior permission was taken for the construction of such a temple and hence its construction had been stopped. The temple was being constructed at a college in the Dalit-dominated Banka village in the district.
The ‘English devi’ temple was slated to be inaugurated on October 25 last, the birth anniversary of Lord Macaulay (who was instrumental in intoducing English education in India) but it was delayed, as the construction work was not over due to incessant rains.
While the manager of the college, Amar Chandra Johar, criticised the authorities for not allowing the construction, he later said no prior permission was taken by the college management. “Such a temple could trigger caste-related tension not only in the area but throughout the state,” sources quoting district officials said.
Johar said the idea behind constructing a temple after ‘English devi’ was to popularise English among the Dalits. The idol of ‘English devi’ had been brought from Delhi. It holds a computer in one hand and a pen in the other. The temple too is designed like a computer, with stairs designed like keyboard leading to it.
The directive of the authorities however has not deterred the villagers. They have installed the statue of the ‘English devi’ outside the college premises and were singing songs praising her.