Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Oct 15: Karnataka fisheries, youth sports and services and district in-charge minister, Pramod Madhwaraj, said that Valmiki, who belonged to 'Beda' community, as well as Lord Rama and Lord Krishna consumed non-vegetarian food. "This knowledge is relevant in the context of discussion over food system going on all over the country at present. I welcome discussions on this issue," he added.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Valmiki Day celebrations organized by the district administration at Ambedkar Bhavan, Adi Udupi here, on Saturday October 15.
"One's caste is not relevant for achieving great things. For example, Vyasa, who authored Mahabharat, was the son of an unmarried fisher woman. If such people were alive now, they would have faced social boycott. Such things can become eye openers for people who take pride in claiming themselves to be belonging to a particular caste, and also claim exclusive rights to perform puja etc," he stated.
Zilla panchayat vice president, Sheela Shetty, chief executive officer of zilla panchayat, Priyanka Mary Francis, additional deputy commissioner, Anuradha, and taluk panchayat president, Rajani Pradeep Rao, were among those present on the occasion.