Leaders of Kula Vivaksha Porata Samiti, Telangana Vidyavanthula Vedika, Inti Party, Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti, Yerukala Sangam and organisations representing SC/ST problems on Monday petitioned Nalgonda Town-II police to arrest Sri Vaishnava pontiff Chinna Jeeyar Swamy for ridiculing dietary habits of certain sections.
“His comments ridiculing dietary habits of non-vegetarians, and SC/ST, BC and marginalised groups, would disturb peace and lead to disorder in society,” they said, submitting their petition to officials.
They said the pontiff’s discourse, as recorded by a devotional Telugu television channel last week, was against non-vegetarians and in the nature of ridiculing the liberties recognised by the Constitution.
“He very well knows that people consume egg or meat irrespective of castes, religions and cultures. Swamy’s comments are only to divide the society, he must tender an apology to all non-vegetarians,” M. Bhiksham and Bakaram Srinivas said, who also said he should be booked under the provisions of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
For Pandula Saidulu, “Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, who does not understand the concepts of equality, lacks the moral requirements to unveil the Statue of Equality, of Ramanujacharya, scheduled for next month.” He added that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who is a non-vegetarian, must react on the pontiff’s comments.
A laughing Mr. Chinna Jeeyar Swamy, as seen in the recorded video, had said: “If you eat pork, you would only think like a pig. If you eat mutton, you would only follow the herd like a goat as your own brain stops working. If you take eggs, you would only behave like a chicken – peck in the dirt, place to place, and eat from it.”)
