Idiga leader to resume fast

KALABURAGI: An Idiga leader who had started a hunger strike demanding that the state government allow the community to continue its occupation of tapping toddy from coconut palms has said he will resume his fast on July 27 as their assurances have not been fulfilled.
Arya Idiga Rashtriya Mahamandal Pranavanand Swami had halted his fast on June 25 when several BJP leaders including from Idiga community, assured him that a separate board for the community would be formed and the ban would be removed by July 5.
But the assurance has not been fulfilled, he said, adding he would fast by sitting in front of those nine BJP leaders who had assured him. The Idigas are among one of the backward communities in Karnataka. Although there are leaders from the community in political parties, their demand has been ignored, he said.
He said the occupation of the Idigas of removing ‘Sendi’ or toddy from coconut trees has been banned in Karnataka and this step has made many in the community unemployed. In neighbouring Kerala, Telangana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, it is legal and the same community is engaged in toddy tapping, but in Karnataka, many families are now below the poverty level because of the ban, he said.
There are other occupational communities in Karnataka and they have not been stopped from their occupations such as barbers, carpenters and Kurubas or sheep rearers, but why have the Idigas been stopped from their trade, Pranavanand asked.
He said he will be on a fast till the government agrees to let the Idiga community continue their occupation.