A controversy erupted in Tamil Nadu after a district collector allegedly asked his subordinate to carry his shoes. However, the official rejected the claim based on the viral video on Wednesday.
In the viral video, Kallakurichi Collector Sravan Kumar Jaravath asked the duffedar to carry his shoes before entering the temple. The video soon created controversy and recieved the wrath of many people.
Speaking to PTI, Jatavath insisted he never instructed his subordinate to carry his shoes.
"I never instructed the duffedar to carry my shoes. In fact the video is edited and misinterpreted. Reporters who were present in the field know that it (the allegation) is not true. Someone who was not in the field (present there) has edited and misinterpreted the incident," he said, as per PTI.
The incident took place while Jatavath visited Koovagam Kuthandavar Temple to take stock of the arrangements. The 'Koovagam' festival will be celebrated by transgender people across the country.
Last year, transwomen from across the country took part in the 18-day long festival conducted in Koovagam village in Kallakurichi district. The transwomen organised a beauty pageant in which one of them was crowned as Miss Koovagam 2022. Mehandi from Chennai won the Miss Koovagam 2022 title.
After the beauty pageant, the transwomen attended Koothandavar temple festivities. The transwomen sang, danced, dressed up and celebrated. Several NGOs also conducted HIV/AIDs awareness campaign among the transwomen.
On the day of main festivities, the transwomen dressed up and got married to a mythological character Aravan. As per mythology, during the bloody battle of Pandavas with their cousins, the Pandavas were forced to sacrifice a valiant solider Aravan and as a last wish unmarried Aravan wanted to get married before his death.