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Home » Gujarat » RSS-affiliate group carries out ‘purification’ drive after Dalit rally in Udupi temple

RSS-affiliate group carries out ‘purification’ drive after Dalit rally in Udupi temple

By Newsd
Updated on :
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An RSS affiliate outfit carried out a ‘shudhikalasham’ or ‘purification’ ceremony in an Udupi temple after numerous Dalits gathered for a rally organised by Dalit activist and organiser of the `Una Chalo’ movement in Gujarat, Jignesh Mevani.

The outfit, Yuva Brigade led by an 86-year-old seer of the Pejewara Mutt, Vishweshwa Theertha, conducted the purification ceremony in the surroundings of the Sree Krishna temple saying that the area was rendered ‘impure’ by the presence of Dalits.

Following the ‘purification’ process, the Yuva Brigade has also staged a protest march in the town, which was reportedly held despite district administration denying permission to it.

The call for the purification drive was given by Chakravarthy Sulibele, RSS leader and head of Yuva Brigade in Karnataka and the rally was organised by Dalit groups on October 9 to demand justice and equality in the Udupi temple.

After the event on October 9, the RSS affiliate called for a ‘complete cleansing’ of streets in the whole of Udupi and this step  pro-Dalit groups to call for a rally in the town on October 23, called Swabhiman Nadige, and approach the Udupi administration for a ban on the Yuva Brigade’s Kanaka Nadige. Udupi SP K T Balakrishna denied permission to both Kanaka Nadige and Swabhiman Nadige.

“This is not an anti-Dalit purification. Dalits participated in the cleaning, and we had food together. The purification exercise was carried out because of wrong messages spread about the Udupi Mutt during the Chalo Udupi rally, where it was alleged that there was discrimination at the mutt. If they think it is against Chalo Udupi, let them,’’ RSS leader Sulibele said during the programme.

Pejawer Mutt seer Vishweshwara Thirtha, who told state government officials that he was opposed to the cleansing ritual but could not pull out as the Yuva Brigade had made arrangements, said the ritual was meant for holistic cleaning. “We need internal and external purification. It is not against any community,’’ he said.

Dalit groups, meanwhile, objected to the cleansing ritual and demanded action against those who participated in it.

“The Kanaka Nadige was held in places that are not exactly in the mutt premises. Strict action should be taken for violating the order of the administration. Despite their claims, the cleaning drive was directed against Dalits,” said Shyamraj Birthi, an organiser of the proposed Swabhimana Nadige event.

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