Bengaluru, Jan 28 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued a stern warning on Tuesday, stating that if the illegal Devadasi practice is discovered anywhere in the state, strict action will be taken against the concerned Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Commissioner (DC).
Chairing a state-level Awareness and Monitoring Committee meeting at the Vidhana Soudha conference hall, CM Siddaramaiah emphasized that the Devadasi system has been abolished and must not persist.
He declared, “If any such practices are found, we will act decisively against the SP and DC without hesitation.”
The Devadasi system, historically involving the dedication of women -- often from marginalized communities -- to temples, has been associated with systemic exploitation. Despite multiple legislations to eradicate this practice, isolated instances have been reported, prompting the government's vigilance.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister mentioned an overnight protest by women at Ambedkar Circle in Raichur, organized by the Progressive Organizations' Action Committee. The protesters demanded comprehensive rehabilitation for Devadasi women and called for a scientific survey to assess their current socio-economic conditions.
In response, the Chief Minister directed officials to update him on the progress of rehabilitation efforts. He instructed the Chief Secretary to prepare a detailed report on the issue, ensuring it covers actionable plans for rehabilitation.
Siddaramaiah also emphasized the proper enforcement of the Forest Rights Act. He asserted that land rights must be granted to forest dwellers and that no evictions should occur without due process. Officials were instructed to include district-wise data in compliance reports for future meetings to ensure thorough accountability.
The meeting also addressed concerns over backlog promotions raised by Congress MLC Sudham Das. He questioned why injustices identified by a sub-committee were not being resolved despite their reports highlighting the issues.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for adherence to reservation policies during promotions. “Any attempts to deny opportunities to members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes through unethical practices will not be tolerated,” he said.
Siddaramaiah directed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to hold a separate review meeting to address promotion-related grievances across departments.
The Chief Minister concluded by mandating that these review meetings occur every six months. He warned that negligence on the part of officials in attending or addressing issues during these meetings would result in strict action by the government.
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