Himachal Pradesh Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Rajiv Saizal, who is a Dalit, on Tuesday told the Assembly that he and a legislator were not allowed to enter a temple in the State.
Mr. Saizal was speaking while participating in a discussion on a bill that extends reservation for SCs and STs in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies by another 10 years.
Mr. Saizal said that he and Nachan MLA Vinod Kumar were not allowed to enter a temple, but did not mention its name, location and the time of the incident.
Earlier, Congress MLA from Kinnaur Jagat Singh Negi said that Dalits were not allowed to enter temples in some places in the State. The Minister said he agreed with the Congress MLAs who had stated that Dalits are not allowed inside some temples.
Mr. Saizal, 47, who is an MLA from Kasauli (SC) Assembly segment in Solan district, said that the society as a whole was required to take steps to end this discrimination.