Jignesh Mevani, the lawyer who addressed a public meeting of Dalits in Udupi, Karnataka Jignesh Mevani, the lawyer who addressed a public meeting of Dalits in Udupi, KarnatakaDays after Jignesh Mevani, the lawyer who commandeered Dalit protests in Gujarat’s Una, held a public meeting attended by thousands of Dalits in the temple town of Udupi in Karnataka, a Sangh parivar outfit carried out a ‘shudhikalasham’ (purification) ceremony. The farcical ceremony was purportedly led by Vishweshwa Theertha, 86-year-old seer of the Pejewara Mutt. The rally titled ‘Chalo Udupi’ on October 9 was attended by thousands of Dalits from Bengaluru to Udupi. Mevani, who spoke at the concluding meeting in Udupi, demanded a ban on cow slaughter groups in the state and the custom of ‘pankti bheda’ (caste-based seating arrangement for food) at the Udupi temple. The Pejewara mutt, of which Theertha is the current head, is one of eight mutts managing the activities of the temple.

Source: Indian Express October 27, 2016 06:03 UTC