What have Cong, JD(S) done on Made Snana, asks Acharya

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Bangalore, Feb 3, 2012: Muzrai Minister V S Acharya on Friday cornered the Opposition, asking them why they did not ban the ‘Made Snana’ ritual during their decades-long rule over the State.

The minister asked the pointed question in the Legislative Assembly when the Congress demanded that he explain his stand on the ritual practised in the Kukke Subramanya temple in the Dakshina Kannada district.

Acharya said, “We have to stop the ritual and efforts are on. But you both (Cong and JD-S) ruled the State for 64 years (in all). Why did you not pay attention for even a second to the ritual, which has been in practice for 500-600 years? Why did your administration not stop it? We can’t change people forcibly. We have to persuade them.”

His questions, of course, went unanswered.

Demand for certainty
Earlier, Congress member Srinivas Prasad raised the Made Snana issue and repeatedly asked Acharya to make his stand clear on the ritual. People who roll over leftover food on plantain leaves should be educated about the lurking health hazard, he said.

Joining the debate, BJP leader K S Eshwarappa said it was wrong to say that the entire Hindu society favoured Made Snana. It was not just non-Brahmins who rolled over leftover food. In some temples, even Brahmins do that. Unfortunately, some rationalists are projecting Brahmins as supporting the ritual. All heinous practices, including Made Snana, should not be encouraged, he said. “When the Pejawar seer goes to the Dalit colonies and interacts with the residents, that is not appreciated,” he said.

Bill passed
Soon after the discussion concluded, the ruling party was in a great hurry to get a bill pertaining to Hindu religious institutions passed. And with numbers on its side, it succeeded. The bill was defeated in the last session by one vote.

Piloting the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Second amendment) Bill, 2011, Acharaya said it was just an amendment bill aimed at omitting certain overlapping provisions in the Act.

Time for study
The Congress and the JD(S) sought time to study the Bill. But the Treasury Benches demanded that it be passed as no major changes were proposed.

JD(S) leader H D Revanna, who sought time till Monday to study the Bill, staged a dharna and walked out of the House along with his party members when Speaker K G Bopaiah did not heed his demand. The Bill was passed by voice vote.

Courtesy: Deccan Herald