'Pankti bheda' is there in Dharmasthala too; Why you targeting us: Pejawar seer

Udupi, Oct 13: Nearly a week after speakers at the Chalo Udupi valedictory ceremony exhorted the Dalits to storm Udupi's Krishna Mutt if it fails to end pankti bheda', Vishwesha Tirtha Swami of Pejawar Mutt has threatened to go on an indefinite fast.

Addressing media persons here on Thursday, he said that some persons at the Chalo Udupi' programme on Sunday have tried to mislead Dalits and asked them to lay siege to the historic mutt. “Now it is the duty of the government to provide security to the mutt,” he said.

While addressing the Swabhimani Sangarsha Samavesha, the valedictory programme of Chalo Udupi' on Sunday, social activist and Chalo Una organiser Jignesh Mevani gave a deadline of two months for Udupi mutts to stop the ugly practice of pankti bheda.

If it did not stop, the activists would lay siege to the mutt, Mr. Mevani had said.

The seer on Thursday questioned why activists are targeting only Udupi Mutt while pankti bheda is in practice at Dharmasthala, Sringeri and Kukke Subrahmanya temples.

He said that Dalits, Backward Class people and Brahmins were being served food at Udupi Mutt together without any discrimination. But for some traditional Brahmins food is being served separately, he added.

The seer said that Udupi Chalo had been organised to condemn the violence by gau rakshakas (cow protectors). He had already condemned the violence by such rakshakas, he said, adding that the mutt has been drawn into this controversy unnecessarily.

The seer questioned the link between pankti bedha and violence by gau rakshakas.

The seer alleged that some intellectuals were trying to divide the Hindu community by spreading hateredness between Dalits and Brahmins. They are also trying to divide Muslims and Brahmins, the seer added.