The Communist Party of India (Marxist) will stage demonstrations against made snana and pankti bedha (caste discrimination while serving food) in Kukke Subramanya and Krishna Math in Udupi, respectively.
Centre of Indian Trade Union’s district unit secretary Vasant Achary told presspersons here on Friday that a vehicle jatha from Kukke Subramanya to Mangalore would be organised on December 21. The jatha would be flagged off by CPI(M) State unit secretary G.V. Srirama Reddy. A padayatra from Mangalore to Udupi would be held on December 24. Party’s Central Secretariat member Srinivas Rao and other CPI (M) activists would take part in the padayatra. A demonstration and a public meeting would be held in Udupi on December 27. CPI(M) Polit Bureau member B.V. Raghavalu would speak at the meeting, he said.
Mr. Achary said the party was not happy with the modified version of made snana as proposed by the State government before the Karnataka High Court. The government submitted recently that the devotees would no longer be allowed to roll over plantain leaves with leftovers of food had by Brahmins. Instead, the food offered to the deity would be brought from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple to the outer yard in the form of “prasada” and it would be put on the plantain leaves.
Mr. Achary said such a practice should not be allowed by the State government. Made snana and pankti bedha should be banned.
