Pramod Muthalik, founder of Sri Rama Sene, said on Wednesday that some intellectuals and vested interests were bent on keeping Dalits away from other Hindu communities.
Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Muthalik said that these forces and intellectuals were bent on creating divisions between the Dalits and other Hindu communities. Their target was Hindu religion, Hindutva and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These intellectuals were using Dalits as shields to further their own cause, he said.
He said that Sri Rama Sene would fully back the Pejawar seer and the Sri Krishna Mutt in the light of a threat by some forces during the Chalo Udupi rally to lay siege to the Krishna Mutt. “If the so-called intellectuals have any courage, they should enter the mosques and remove the ‘untouchability’ there and then they should enter the mutt,” he said.
Mr. Muthalik said that a few intellectuals were posing themselves as saviours of Dalits just for the sake of publicity. Their concern was not for the welfare of the Dalits but a mere show.
They were creating an atmosphere to show that if pankti bheda was (separate seating arrangements for meals for Brahmins and non-Brahmins) resolved, it would lead to the complete welfare of the Dalits. They should understand that the Sri Krishna Mutt under the Pejawar seer was working for the welfare of the Dalits, he said.
On Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Services and Sports, Pramod Madhwaraj’s comment that Lord Rama, Lord Krishna and Valmiki consumed meat, Mr. Muthalik said that the Sri Rama Sene was not against consumption of meat. It was only against the consumption of beef.
“Mr. Madhwaraj should speak about beef eaters and not mere meat consumers. He should stop cow slaughter and transportation of beef in Udupi district. If he does that, we will appreciate him,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Muthalik met the Pejawar seer at the Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple here.