By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean 
 
Mangalore : Encouraging 'Made Madesnana' is against Article 51(A) of our Constitution which espouses scientific temper and a spirit of questioning, said Karnataka State Backward Class Awareness Forum President K S Shivaramu in a press meet held at the press club Urva, here on July 12.
 
Shivaramu further said, when we protested against 'Made Madesnana', at the freedom park, Bangalore the then chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda and the Law minister Suresh Kumar condemned this belief and assured to ban the rituals of 'Made Madesnana' within two months of time. But it did not happen. It is a clear attempt to continue the evil practice of 'Made  Madesnana' as part of a joint conspiracy between the government and the temple committee, he blamed.
 

He stated that the' Made Madesnana' is a inhuman ritual and insult to human dignity. This practice of rolling over the leftovers of Brahmin's should be stopped. It is a matter of regret that the religious leaders support this despicable ritual. Such evil practices are still in progress in the society because the head of the temples encourage it.  He blamed the Pejawar Swamiji for his double standard.  He said that in Kukke Shri Subrahmanya Temple the' Made Madesnana'  ritual is being held every year and a large number of devotees performing the act of physically rolling on the leftovers. People from the lower castes have a belief that if they roll over on the left overs on the banana leaves after Bhramins consume food then those indulging in the rituals would be ridden of all evils and would earn merit of afterlife. 

He said it was a myth about earning merit after life, it is a upper-class conspiracy by having the lower caste people brainwashed into believing in this rituals. Many social organizations and social activists are fighting against these rituals.  In 2011, on the previous day of Champa Shristi the Puttur Revenue Assistant Commissioner Sunder Bhat issued a notice to stop this practice in Subramanya Temple because of the pressure from various organizations.  But due to some developments at the last movement the notice was rejected and the practice continued.
 
To find a solution against this practice a programme was held with the leadership of Pejavar Swamiji and M V Puranik to discuss about this issue. After the discussion Pejawar Swami decided to support the practice. Again After strong opposition on his decision from the political leaders, Pejawar Swamiji stated, "I am not against the Made Madesnana nor I am supporting it,  it is upto the devotees to decide".  This is just an eyewash to please the society, he said.

Pejawar Swamiji, stated that he is very much concerned about the Malekudiaya tribe which is very much believing in Madesnana. But Shivaramu said that the Malekudiya Volunteers are traditionally involved with setting up the chariot and helping in temple work and never encouraged Madesnana. Further he stated that I have strong evidence that the Subrahmanya Temple belongs to the Malekudiya tribe and the rights should go to them. 

Let Swami Prasanna Tirtha answer as to whom the Temple belongs? It should either belong to him or the Malekudiya tribe, he opined.  He said if the Pejawar Swamiji is really concerned about the Malekudiya tribe then let him fight against the injustice faced by Vittala Malekudiya, who was tagged as a Naxalite and jailed for 4 months. The Swamiji must not have double standards and must not play with the self respect of the dalits. If this inhumane rituals continues, the forum will take extreme steps and protest in front of the Shri Kukke Subrahmanya Temple on Champa Shristi.  

Shivaramu also said, "I am ready to die for this cause, because when I protested last time, I had been assaulted by the temple authorities. It is a practice in the name of traditional belief, people rolling over leftovers is a ritual which violates basic human dignity and self respect.  This should be banned".   

The forum will also protest along with the Dalita Sangarsha Samiti,  Democratic Youth Federation of India and Jagrata vedike and hold a rally of "Kukke Subramanya Chalo". on Champa Shristi to bring awareness among the people. Shivaramu said that he will visit Kukke Subramanya temple again to know about madesnana and its practice. He also challenged that if Pejawar Swamiji is really concerned about the Dalits then let he make Dalits to sit inside the temple and have food and then let the people roll over it.  

DYFI district Secretary Dayananda Shetty was also present