CPI-M protests against Pankti Bheda

[email protected] (CD Network)
May 6, 2014
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Udupi, May 6: District unit of Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) staged a demonstration outside the office of Deputy Commissioner here on Monday demanding the government to ban Pankti bheda' (separate seating arrangements for Brahmins and non-Brahmins while serving food).

Condemning the recent incident where Vanita Shetty, an assistant lecturer at the School of Allied Health Sciences, Manipal, was allegedly told to leave the dining hall meant for Brahmins in Sri Krishna Math, the agitating activists demanded that those who practiced caste-based discrimination be booked.

Addressing the protestors CPM State Secretary Sriram Reddy challenged the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ban the evil and inhuman practices of Pankthi bedha' and Made Snana' within 24 hours, if he is a genuine crusader of secularism.

Mr Reddy accused that the Congress government is secular only to lure the minorities which is “pure vote bank politics.”

Reddy flayed that when it comes to the issue of religious fanaticism and communalism, the state government is no different from that of previous BJP rule.

Religious outfits will certainly end up disturbing communal harmony in society, he warned.

Coming down heavily on Pejawar seer over his political motive concerning the issue of social evils, Reddy said “the Pejawar seer diplomatically handles the issues like Pankthi bedha' and Made Snana.' He himself is against banning these social evils, but pretends as if he is against the practices. The seer wants to portray himself as a social reformer. He had proposed Ede Snana' instead of Made Snana', which is another blunder to fool the devotees.”

Reddy suggested the Pejawar seer to invite Dalits to Sri Krishna mutt and have food with them inside the mutt, rather than paying courtesy visit to Dalits colonies for publicity.

Sriram Reddy said the left parties will never demand an apology from the seers for the incident of Pankthi bedha' meted out to a female lecturer from Manipal University recently at Udupi Sri Krishna mutt.

The apology from the seers is ridiculous, as they never realise the value of an apology, he ridiculed.

Asserting that the fight against the evil practices like Pankthi Bedha' and Made Snana' will continue until it is banned, the leader added that the public are disappointed for not initiating actions against the temples that perform these rituals.

The CPM State Secretary questioned the government for ordering a CID inquiry into ANF shootout case in Sringeri.

Kabeer Shoot-out

The incident clearly indicated cold-blooded murder and there was no need for any other evidences to prove it.

He ridiculed Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar's remark defending the ANF shootout and announcing Rs 50,000 cash prize to ANF constable Navin Naik.

Meanwhile, Karnataka State Backward Classes Forum President K S Shivaram said the Pankthi Bedha is a social brutality, which makes the civilised world to shatter in embarrassment.

There is a need to follow the ideologies of Kanakadasa, he urged.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 28,2025

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Udupi district transformed into a sea of saffron and celebration on Friday, November 28, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow swept through the coastal temple town. Thousands of residents lined the streets, turning the event into a vibrant public spectacle filled with cheers, flags, and festive energy.

The procession route—from the helipad to the historic Sri Krishna Math—was decked with buntings, saffron flags, and multilayered security barricades. One of the district’s largest-ever security deployments was put in place for the high-profile visit, with over 3,000 police personnel on duty. The arrangement included ten SPs, 27 DSPs, 49 inspectors, 127 sub-inspectors, 232 assistant sub-inspectors, 1,608 constables, and 39 women staff.

Six platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police, six Quick Response Teams, bomb detection units, and dog squads were stationed across Udupi. Enhanced surveillance covered Adi Udupi, Bannanje bus stand, and the Sri Krishna Math parking zone, with combing operations carried out along the roadshow corridor.

At the 800-year-old Sri Krishna Math, preparations reached a ceremonial peak. Paryaya Puttige Math seer Sugunendra Teertha Swamiji said the Prime Minister would take part in the Laksha Kantha Geetha Parayana, a mass chanting of the Bhagavad Gita by one lakh devotees, and inaugurate the new Suvarna Teertha Mantapa.

“He will first offer floral tributes to saint-poet Kanakadasa and then unveil the golden covering over the Kanakana Kindi,” the seer said.

The Prime Minister will also receive a Poorna Kumbha welcome and have darshan of Lord Sri Krishna, Mukhyaprana Devaru, and the Suvarna Paduke. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister Bairathi Suresh, Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade, and seers from the Ashta Maths are expected to join the ceremony.

Ahead of his arrival, the Prime Minister posted on X that he felt “honoured” to attend the spiritually significant gathering. “This is a special occasion that brings together people from different sections of society for a recital of the Gita. This Matha has a very special significance in our cultural life,” he wrote, noting the institution’s long-standing legacy rooted in the teachings of Sri Madhvacharya.

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News Network
December 1,2025

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Udupi, Dec 1: A horrific case of alleged rape has unfolded in Udupi, where a worker from a Hindutva organisation, previously arrested and released on bail for harassing a young woman, is now accused of waylaying and sexually assaulting her.

The arrested individual has been identified as Pradeep Poojary (26), a member of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's Nairkode unit in Perdur.

Poojary had allegedly been relentlessly harassing the young woman, pressuring her to marry him. When she bravely stood up to him and refused his demands, she filed a formal complaint at the Hiriyadka police station. He was subsequently arrested in that initial harassment case but was later granted bail.

According to police reports, driven by the same malicious grudge, Poojary allegedly intercepted the woman again on November 29. While she was walking through a deserted area, the accused is claimed to have threatened her by grabbing her neck. When she again refused to marry him, he allegedly proceeded to rape her.

The survivor immediately informed her family about the traumatic assault. Following this, her parents lodged a complaint at the Udupi women’s police station.

Police arrested Poojary again and produced him before the court. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.

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