Billavas stage protest against Rohit Chakrathirtha’s presence at Yakshagana Sammelana

The protesters, who questioned the contribution of Mr. Chakrathirtha to Yakshagana, shouted slogans against him asking him to go back

Some people from the Billava community staged a black flag protest here on Saturday, February 11, against the organisers of the first State-level integrated Yakshagana Sammelana for inviting Rohith Chakrathirtha, former chairman of the Karnataka School Textbook Review Committee, to deliver the keynote address at the inauguration of the literary sessions.

They staged the protest at the entrance to MGM College grounds, the venue of the convention.

The protesters, who questioned the contribution of Mr. Chakrathirtha to Yakshagana, shouted slogans against him asking him to go back.

Speaking on the occasion, Naveen Ameen Shankarapura, a convener of Gejjegiri Yakshagana Mela, alleged that Mr. Chakrathirtha as the chairman of the committee had insulted social reformer Narayana Guru by removing a lesson on him during the review.

Praveen M Poojary, Udupi District Billava Yuva Vedike, said that Mr. Chakrathirtha did not know anything about Yakshagana. In such a situation, how can the organisers invite him to deliver the key note address.

It may be mentioned here that V. Sunil Kumar, Minister for Kannada and Culture, had recently defended the decision of the organisers. The Minister went on record that some elements are trying to find fault on every aspects. “It is not a wrong decision to invite a writer for the convention. We invited him for his commitment to nationality as our government supports nationalists. More such people with nationalist mindset will be invited for the convention,’’ he had told reporters.

Meanwhile, while speaking at the convention on Saturday, Mr. Chakrathirtha said that Yakshagana songs of Yakshagana poets and script writers should be taught to students from Class 5 to Class 7 as Yakshagana is a great art form and children should know about it. He said that Yakshagana should be promoted within the boundary of “puranas”.