Pics: Karthik B C Road
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Jan 22: A dispute arising out of a stay order granted by the taluk tashildar, Ravichandra Nayak, against the holding of a Yakshana performance by Sunkadakatte troupe at Sudekar in Baltila village in the taluk, turned the situation tense there on Friday January 21. The preparations, which were being made for the Yakshagana performance, being organized annually in the village, came to an abrupt end, as the tahsildar ordered stay on the performance.

Zilla panchayat member from Goltamajal constituency, Chandraprakash Shetty Tumbe, blamed the BJP and Rashriya Swayamsevak Sangh for stalling the performance, backed by political considerations. He said these two outfits had hatched a conspiracy to hijack the Yakshagana performance, being organized by the villagers annually since the 12 years, with devotion and faith. He was addressing a press conference here on Friday.

“An individual named Narayan Somayaji created fake documents to prove that the land where the performance was to be held belonged to him. The tahsildar, under political pressure, has unilaterally stayed the performance. We will fight this move tooth and nail in courts by proving that this is government land,” he said. He added that the interference into a Hindu programme by those who claim to be champions of Hindus, has laid bare the legitimacy of their commitment to Hindutva ideals. “The fact that these leaders brought people from far off places to support their objections proves that the local people are not supporting them,” he said.

Padmanabha Naringana, Janardan Chenditmar and several others participated in the press conference.

The Yakshagana performance was to be held in survey No. 10-2 of Sudekar in Baltila village, which is a government land. Yakshgana organizers say that the Yakshagana performance is being held here since the last 12 years, and various public functions have also been held here. They had sought permission of the taluk administration for the performance, but upholding Naryan Somayaji’s objection to this application, claiming that the land belongs to him, the tahsildar denied permission. Somayaji is the president of Kalladka Srirama Vidyakendra.

There was verbal friction between those who insisted that they would go ahead with holding the Yakshagana performance at the same place, and a group, which opposed the move. Police inspector, Nanjunde Gowda, police sub-inspectors, Vivekanand and Mohammed Rafique, interfered, and brought the situation under control, before the situation took ugly turn. The policemen arrested over 40 persons including Chandrprakash Shetty Tumbe, local leader, Nonaiah Poojary, Sudekar Friends president, Shekhar, secretary, Kushal, and others. Hundreds of activists then gathered in protest against this action, in front of the local police station. MLA, B Ramanath Rai, and other leaders, visited the police station and held talks with the policemen.