Govt. decision on ’Made Snana’ will be based on public opinion:CM

DHNS

Bangalore, 11 January 2012:  D V Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday said the state government would take a decision on banning ‘Made Snana,’ the controversial ritual of people rolling on leftovers of food partaken by upper castes, only after extensive public consultation, even as one of his Cabinet ministers said the government was committed to banning the practice.

 

“I neither support nor condemn the ritual. The government decision will be based on public opinion”, Gowda told reporters.

 

In Dharwad, Social Welfare Minister A Narayana Swamy said the government was committed to banning the practice observed in several temples of the State, notably Kukke Subrahmanya.

Replying to questions from mediapersons, Narayanaswamy said the issue of banning ‘Made Snana’ was discussed at length during the Legislature session. “Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar advocated a ban on such practices. Taking a serious note of it, the government has decided to ban the practice shortly,” he said.

 

When pointed out that a few seers were in favour of such practices, the minister refused to comment. He, however, said that the department was striving to abolish such practices in society and had even approached Dr B R Ambedkar Research Centre to conduct a survey on the origin of such practices.

 

The government will also hold an open discussion in Bangalore shortly, where elected representatives, seers, social workers and the general public will participate.The deliberations of the discussion will be implemented, he added.