Karnataka - Udupi   

`Include Billava artistes in Mundarti mela'

By Our Staff Correspondent

UDUPI, NOV. 19. The Deputy Commissioner, T. Sham Bhatt, on Friday ordered that the Mandarti Yakshagana Mela should not hold any performances until it obeyed the Government Order on including the artistes belonging to the Billava community.

Earlier, members of the Billava Mahamandala staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office protesting against the alleged discrimination against two Billava artistes at the Mandarti Yakshagana Mela run by Sri Durgaparmeshwari Temple at Mandarti in Udupi district on Thursday night.

Mr. Bhatt, who addressed the protesters, said that if the temple did not give an opportunity to the Billava artistes, the district administration would ban the performance of any plays by the Mandarti Mela. Besides, if the Billava artistes were not given an opportunity to perform in the mela there was a possibility of peace and order getting disturbed in the district. The managing trustee of the temple had agreed to induct Billava artistes in the mela. The temple had twice approached the courts but had not been able to get a stay order on the issue, Mr. Bhatt said.

In a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, the Billava Mahamandala said the managing trustee had gone back on the assurance to induct two Billava artistes in the mela. The district administration should take steps to stop this discrimination against the Billava artistes, it said.

K. Harikrishna Bantwal, Kota Srinivas Poojary, Devadas Suvarna, Malpe Raghavendra, and Airody Govindappa were present.

On Thursday, Mandarti was tense after a war of words between Mr. Bantwal and Dhananjay Shetty, managing trustee of the temple. K. Muralidhar, Udupi Tahsildar, who was present on behalf of the district administration to inspect the implementation of the Government Order, said the Billava artistes should be given an opportunity to perform in the mela. However, no play was staged.

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