Mangaluru, Apr 5: Within two days after suspending an artiste of Kateel Yakshagana troupe for misusing a Yakshagana stage to make a veiled political remark in alleged violation of poll code, the election officer of Moodbidri assembly constituency has withdrawn the order.
A video clip of a dialogue delivered by artiste Poorneshwara Acharya, a member of Durga Parameshwari Prasadita Yakshagana Mandali, popularly called Kateelu Mela, which is attached to Durgaparameshwari Muzrai temple in Kateel, is going viral on social media.
The video shows the artiste apparently mocking All India Congress Committee chief Rahul Gandhi by mimicking him. While addressing a rally in Belagavi district in February this year, Mr Gandhi had mispronounced one of the Kannada vachanas of Basavanna. Instead of ‘Ivanaarava Ivanaarava’ (who is he? who is he?), Mr Gandhi had wrongly pronounced ‘Ivnarva Ivnarva’.
Playing the role of Maalini Dootha in Devi Maatme Yakshagaana staged on April 1, Mr Acharya had uttered the same words apparently to mock Mr Gandhi. On April 2, V Prasanna, the returning officer of Moodbidri had served notice asking Kateelu Mela not to utilize the services of Mr Acharya in future citing violation of code of conduct imposed across Karnataka in view of May 12 assembly elections. In his order the officer had mentioned that the controversial Yakshagana was staged at Padumarnadu near Moodbidri.
The artiste later clarified that he had delivered the controversial dialogue in a Yakshagana staged at a village in Kasaragod district of Kerala where the poll code doesn’t apply, and not in poll-bound Karnataka. After examining the proofs submitted the artiste, the election officer on April 4 withdrew his previous notice.
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