Malekudiyas seek apology from artistes

District Malekudiya Sangha has condemned the organisers of Vishwa Tulu Sammelan in Dubai for staging a Yakshagana play that humiliated the members of Malekudiya community.

Association President Sudhakar Gowda Nadpalu and State Malekudiya Association General Secretary Sridhar Gowda Idu in their complaint, lodged with Karkala rural police station on Sunday, have stated that during the play organised as part of the Sammelan in Dubai on November 24, artistes Sundar Bangady and Dinesh Shettigar had not only ridiculed but also derided the Malekudiya community in order to draw applause from the audience.

Idu, who demanded action under SS/ST Atrocities Act, said they did not have any intention to insult the Yakshagana artistes or put them behind bars.

The objective behind filing the complaint is to help artistes realise that they had committed a mistake.

“Yakshgana artistes by realising their mistake should tender an apology to the association or we will intensify our protest in coming days,’’ Gowda added.

Association Organising Secretary Gangadhar Gowda was also present.