'Defending madesnana is an affront to constitution and democracy'

Mangalore, January 1: Destroying the constitution and democratic system in the country is the real aim of the people defending practices like madesnana, said writer and thinker G.K. Govind Rao here on Sunday.

He was speaking at a seminar on 'madesnana, belief, practice and the opposition' held at the University College auditorium in Hampankatta under the joint auspices of DSS (Ambedkarwada), DYFI and other like-minded organizations.

Coming out heavily on Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math and Higher Education Minister V.S. Acharya for their support to the 'inhuman' practice, Mr. Govind Rao said Madesnana cannot be condoned in the name of belief. “Ours is a democratic country. Therefore a belief has to be seen in the context of the overall interest of the society. We should have to evaluate if it is going to have a positive impact on the society or it is going to have a negative impact. We cannot just defend a practice on the pretext that it had existed from time immemorial,” he said.

Singling out Swamiji for his 'neutral' stand on the issue, Mr. Govind Rao challenged him if he was ready to defend the practice of “untouchability” since it had been practice in our country over several centuries. “We should be ashamed of the filth filled in our own homes. People like Pejawar are trying to mislead the masses by diverting their attention. They try to justify such practices by showing that such customs are also practiced in other communities. But, people like Pejawar should know that it is his duty to clear the muck from his own house,” Mr. Rao said.

He also hit out at social activist Anna Hazare and dubbed him the political face of Pejawar Swamiji. “He (Anna) also wants to destroy democracy. The people of the country are at the firing line. Our fight against the maths should also include the fight against Anna Hazare's math. He is very dangerous,” Mr. Rao said and dubbed him “the pseudo Mahatma created by the media and the middle class people of the country”

Accusing Anna Hazare of keeping a silence on the corruption prevailing both in Karnataka and in Gujarat, Mr. Rao said, the target of the anti-corruption crusader was only Congress and Manmohan Singh. “He is become a hero for those middle-class people who take flights to attend his rallies in Mumbai and Delhi and scream 'Anna Ki jai' even as they are hooked to music through their earphones,” he said.

Shivaram Shetty, the coordinator of the Kanaka Study Chair at Mangalore University, said, the issue of Madesnana should not be seen just as a question of rationality and blind belief, nor as an issue related to stratified caste system deeply entrenched in our society. “We need to look at it from a cultural angle. We should not overlook the fact that majority of the people rolling over the plantain leaves on which the Brahmins have eaten their meals belong to upwardly mobile segments of the backward classes. We should understand the cultural politics behind every such practice. Those who have taken it up as a symbol of cultural hegemony are trying to project any opposition to Madesnana as an attack on Hindu religious practices. This can be called neo-religiosity,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion K.S. Shivaramu, president of Karnataka Rajya Hindulida Vargagala Jagruthi Vedike, demanded a ban on pankthi bedha (practice of separate seating arrangements for Brahmins at temple dining hall). “Pankthi bedha is the mother of madesnana. Once it is banned madesnana will die a natural death,” he said.

Taking potshots at Minister Acharya he said, “Acharya did not have the moral right to continue in the office after defending practice. Nor is he fit to be a medical doctor. He should be ashamed of his stand. In fact, he is a disease to the society.”

Mr. Shivaramu urged the government to take action based on the report submitted by three senior officers of the Social Welfare Ministry. “The government-appointed panel has clearly stated that the practice of madesnana should be disallowed. It has also recommended a ban on pankti bedha. The government should implement the recommendations of the panel constituted by it,” Mr. Shivaramu said.

DSS (Ambedkar wada) leader Anand, Dalit Voice editor V.T. Rajshekar, DYFI district convener Muneer Katipalla, SFI state secretary Jeevan Kuthar, among others, were present.