Daijiworld Media Network – Sullia (SP)

Sullia, Dec 3: Relating to the assault on K S Shivaram, president of Karnataka State Backward Classes Awareness Forum, on the annual Rathotsava day of Subrahmanya Temple in the taluk, six workers of the temple were arrested on Friday December 2. All of them succeeded in getting bail from the court the same day.

Dinakar, Bhaskar, Sundar, Rohitashwa, Jagadish and Shivakumar were arrested by Subrahmanya police relating to the said assault, which occurred on Wednesday. The other temple employee, Nagesh, who was undergoing treatment for the injuries suffered during the assault, presented himself in the court.

It may be recalled that the district administration, which had taken a decision to ban Made Made Snana ritual in Subrhamanya temple, reversed its own order within a day, bowing to the demands of the devotees of the temple. During the visit of Shivaram, who vehemently opposes the practice, to the temple town on Wednesday, the local Malekudiyas had taken umbrage to the remarks supposedly made by him against them, and beaten him up.

Even as protests by Dalit Sangharsh Samiti are being organized all over the state against the rough treatment meted out to Shivaram and demanding to put an end to the above controversial ritual, local leaders and the general public have given call for Subrahmanya bandh on Monday December 5. This decision was taken at a meeting held on Friday evening at the temple. The locals are angry at the intervention of outside forces into the issues that are considered divine and sacred by them. They said that the Made Made Snana ritual has always been purely voluntary, and that it has been in existence since centuries in the temple. “Those who call themselves progressive have been issuing offending statements. It is the duty of the people of the region to conserve the sanctity, customs, and traditions of this temple, which has been known to answer to the prayers of the devotees, and grant boons to people who perform religious vows. To support this cause, voluntary bandh will be observed by everyone including shops and other establishments,” the participants said.

Leaders of political parties like Congress, BJP, and JDS, who participated in the meeting, said that they will put up a united fight in support of continuance of customs, practices, and traditions of this temple.