Punish religious, political leaders supporting Made Snana - KKSV

Punish religious, political leaders supporting Made Snana - KKSV

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Dec 3, 2011 : The Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike (KKSV) urged the state government to penalize religious and political leaders who justify rituals such as Made Snana and also police officers who fail to protect fact-finding teams. The Vedike had organized a press conference to express its disapproval of the controversial Made Snana ritual, which requires people belonging to non Brahmin communities to roll on banana leaf plates discarded after meals by Brahmins.

Addressing reporters, KKSV State President K. L. Ashok said that V. S. Acharya, who is not only the state muzrai minister, but also a medical doctor, should be criticized for not only revoking the ban on Made Snana, but also for justifying the ritual and stating that it is wrong to “question someone’s religious beliefs.”

Condemning religious and political leaders for justifying and supporting the ritual as well as police officers for failing to protect backward class leaders, he said that the government should take strict action against them.

He also urged the government to register cases against DYSP Nagaraju, who allegedly used abusive language against Dalit leaders who requested protection, and the members of the administrative committee of Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Further, he said that it is not enough to just arrest those who assaulted K. S. Shivaram, the state president of the Karnataka Rajya Hindulida Vargagala Jagruta Vedike. The real culprits are Muzrai Minister Dr. V. S. Acharya and the management committee of the temple, who should also be punished, he added.

Mr. Ashok also demanded a complete ban on Made Snana throughout the state.

Pattabhirama Somayaji, Suresh Bhat Bakrabail, and many others were also present at the press conference.