With the Kartika Masam festivities on in full swing coinciding with the election season, some of the candidates in the fray for the upcoming Assembly elections are trying to woo the voters at Kartika Vana Bhojanams (community luncheons) being held to mark the month-long fete featuring congregation of people in orchards and mass vrathams.
But the organisations fighting casteism are up in arms against the manner in which various caste-based associations are conducting the luncheon meetings on “caste lines” and a section of poll contestants allegedly using them as a platform for their campaigning.
Sparsha Samajika Adhyana Vedika, a town-based organisation known for its activities to promote egalitarian social order, has launched a campaign on social media against “caste-based” community luncheons and alleged attempts by some contestants to appease a section of the electorate on “caste lines.”
‘Divisive tendency’
Caste centric community luncheons promote divisive tendencies and disturb social harmony, says K. Bhaskar, founder of Sparsha Samajika Adhyana Vedika.
Using such platforms by the poll contestants for their campaigning amount to brazen violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the upcoming Assembly polls, he points out, saying: “If a candidate participates in caste-based community luncheon meetings he should be immediately disqualified from contesting the ensuing elections.”
“We will intensify the campaign against caste-based mobilisation activities through the social media platforms,” asserts Mr. Bhaskar. He is a strong proponent of “Jana Bhojanam” concept based on egalitarian social order.
Complaint to EC
Participation of candidates in the poll fray in caste-based luncheon meetings is gross violation of the MCC, says general secretary of the Kula Vivaksha Vyatireka Porata Samithi (KVPS) N. Manohar.
The KVPS will take the matter to the notice of the election authorities to ensure strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, he added.