SFI in forefront of movement against retrograde religious practices in Udupi

Press Release of SFI CEC

SFI activists along with the activists of the broader left democratic movement today stormed into the Car Street of the Udupi Srikrishnamatha temple at Udupi, protesting against the caste discrimination in the food which is served in the temple and the retrograde practice of ‘Made Snana’. There were violent clashes between the police and the protesters, in which several protesters were injured in the lathicharge. Along with 300 other protesters, 40 SFI activists were also detained by the police; including Comrade Hulli Umesh, CEC member of SFI.

‘Made Snana’ is a discriminatory and irrational practice in which persons belonging to lower castes roll over the plantain leaves containing the leftovers of the food served to the Brahmins. Facing wide criticism, the priests replaced it with ‘Ede Snana’, in which the plantain leaves contain the food given as Prasad in the temple. While the name is changed, the logic of caste based discrimination remains central to the practice. Baseless argument is being given in support of these practices, that it is a part of the Tuluva and Dravidian Culture. 

SFI rejects this logic and vows to continue to participate in movements against such retrograde and discriminatory religious practices in the days to come. CEC salutes the Karnataka state committee for playing a leading role in the ongoing agitation in Udupi.

CPIM protest against caste discrimination in Udupi Sreekrishna Temple

On the call of the CPIM Karnataka State Committee protest was organised on 27th December against the Made Snana and discrimination over serving food to the devotess at Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi, Karnataka. After the 3 days of walk from Mangalore to Udupi the CPIM Comrades organised the public meet at Ajjarkad Ground near Udupi Sri Krishna Temple. The public meeting was inaugrated by Com.Sriram Reddy, CPIM state Secretary. Com. B.Madav, Maruti Manpade, VJK Nayar, GN Nagaraj, Nityananda Swamy, Prasanna Kumar and several other State Committee members addressed the cadres and gathered people on issue. 

Later the huge protestors rally marched towards the Sri Krishna Temple and P B Member Comrade M A Baby  addressed the gathering. The protestors were on their march towards Car Street and then on to Sri Krishna Temple, when they were stopped by the police near Sanskrit College.  

The policeman suddenly began lathicharging the protestors, where many of the Comrades got injured and admitted to the Hospital and Hundreds of people got arrested.

The activists were protesting against the discrimination of devotees while serving food at Kukke Subramanya and Sri Krishna temples and also the madesnana ritual in which people, mostly Dalits roll over plantain leaves on which Brahmins have partaken meals.In both these temples, brahmins and non-brahmins are served food separately.

Earlier a padayatra was flagged off in Mangalore by the Religious Head of Nidumamidi Mahasamsthana Math, Bangalore Shree Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamiji on December 24.

Dakshin Kannada District Secretary of CPI(M) B Madhava, Sunil Kumar Bajal, Muneer Katipalla, K Shanker, Vasanth Acharya, Srirama Reddy and more than 3,000 CPI(M) members participated in the padayatra. 

Before the flag off of the padayatra in Mangalore, the CPI(M) members staged a protest against the inhuman act of Made Madesnana in front of the DC office. Shree Veerabhadra Channamalla Swamiji said that the Made Madesnana is nothing but discrimination of lower caste by the upper caste. There is a belief that if anyone roll over the left overs one will be cured from skin diseases. There is also a belief that prayers will be answered, and childless couples will be blessed with children. Opposing such beliefs the Swamiji had said that there is absolutely no cure for any skin diseases but chances are very high to be infected with skin disease if anyone rolls over the leftovers. 

A vehicle rally was also conducted as part of the agitation. A vehicle jatha from Byndoor to Kundapur to create awareness against ‘Made Snana’ and discrimination in mass feeding on Monday December 24. Speaking after flagging off the jatha, CPI (M) district secretary K Shankar said that the discrimination in mass feeding along with caste discrimination has been highly followed in Udupi Shree Krishna Mutt. 

(Photos Courtesy : Dajjiworld, Mangalorean)

CPIM - CPI cadres picket Wallmart office in Chennai

CPI(M) Tamil Nadu unit secretary G Ramakrishnan  and hundreds of Left supporters  were  held on 26th December for trying to lay siege to a proposed Walmart office in chennai. Around 750 CPI and CPI (M) workers were taken into custody following an altercation between cops and the agitators.

CPI(M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan, CPI state secretary D. Pandian, CPI(M) legislature party leader A. Soundararajan, party whip K. Balakrishnan and many senior leaders participated in the protest.

Com Ramakrishnan said Walmart was trying to enter Tamil Nadu on the pretext of supplying goods to retailers and it had already started enrolling members. Ramakrishnan alleged that Walmart was in the process of setting  up a complex near Chennai besides a marketing office in the city  and pressed upon Centre and State government to act against it. “Ultimately it will capture the market in a big way and small traders will be in peril. We will not rest till Walmart is expelled from Tamil Nadu,” he said.

D. Pandian said the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was responsible for the present situation. CPI (M) and CPI had staged the protest as part of the Left parties'  decision to oppose FDI in multi-brand retail, which was approved  by the Manmohan Singh-led cabinet recently, and endorsed by the Parliament.