Yakshagana mandali suspends artist

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Apr 04, 2018: Shri Kateel Durgaparameshwari Prasadita Yakshagana Mandali has suspended a Yakshagana artiste for his alleged imitation of Congress president Rahul Gandhi during a Yakshagana show on April 1.

The action by the mandali comes after a notice by Moodbidri Returning Officer V. Prasanna over a dialogue of P. Acharya, an employee of Kateel Durgaparameshwari Temple, in the Devi Mahatme Yakshagana staged in Padamannooru near Moodbidri.

 Acharya, who played the part of Doota (messenger), a comedian, reportedly mimicked Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Belagavi “ Ivanarva, Ivanarva... Iva Namva Iva Namva” during a sequence of the Yakshagana.

The video of this sequence went viral on Facebook and WhatsApp.  RO Prasanna took suo motu cognisance of the incident and issued notice.

RO Prasanna told media  that a representative of the mandali management orally told him that  Acharya has been placed under suspension.

 Acharya was not among the group of artistes who staged Devi Mahatme in Puttige near Moodbidri on April 3,Tuesday, he said.