Children and Women exploited by devadasi system demand for effective Act to prevent, prohibit, compensate and rehabilitation

Bengaluru, 11 Jan 2021
A group of children and women affected by the prohibited Devadasi system from
predominantly northern districts of Karnataka are meeting at Bengaluru on 10th and 11th of January to demand the Government to revamp the existing Karnataka Devadasi (Prohibition of dedication) Act 1982 and bring in greater prevention, protection, rehabilitation and compensation Act. The meeting was held at Hotel Parag, Rajbhavan Road, Bengaluru.

Establish an exclusive Board and a comprehensive law for the welfare of Devadasi families and children

Bengaluru 2022  Devadasi system is still alive and it requires immediate attention of the Govt system to prevent the continuation of this exploitation, demanded the State Level Consultation on the issues pertaining to the families and children facing discrimination and exclusion.

As a girl child in a family that practiced Devadasi system from a few generations, I have resisted and I am able to get opportunities for education. A Kishori leader shared from Koppal expressed her agony that, everywhere the forms for any service or admission have a compulsory column to fill the father’s name. This puts girls at a very disadvantageous position to continue their education or to get any facility.  A mother from Davanagere lamented that her name is not in the Devadasi survey conducted by the Govt in the 90’s and as a result she is not getting the ‘pension’ and is pushed to rag picking in public places to look after her children.

Similar stories were shared by the participating Devadasis and children coming from nine districts of Karnataka (Belagavi, Bagalakote, Vijayapura, Raichur, Koppal, Ballary, Vijayapura, Davanagere and Vijayanagara) who wanted some immediate measures to protect the rights of the children and take long term measures to be taken by the concerned departments of Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, Police, RDPR, Education and Revenue to provide housing, pension and identity certificates. In this background the devadasi family members urged the Govt to revamp the existing Karnataka Devadasi (Prohibition of Dedication) Act 1982 and bring a comprehensive law to prevent, protect, prohibit, rehabilitate and compensate the aggrieved parties. At the event, the group of kishoris demanded that the Govt should form a separate Devadasi Rehabilitation Board with a fixed budget to end this obnoxious practice systematically.

Responding to the woes and demands of the devadasi families and children Prof. Jaffet, Retd Vice Chancellor, Bengaluru Central University shared that prior to 1982 a team along with him conducted a study about the existence of the devadasi system and influenced the Govt to form the Devadasi prohibition Act. He said that time has come to revisit the Act at the earliest and put an end to any new dedications, but continue to provide special category services to the children and families.

Mr. H. Shashidhara, Member Secretary, Karnataka Legal Services Authority expressed his anguish about the shortcomings in the implementation of the Act. He said that they can approach the Legal Services Authority at Taluk, District and State level for redressal of the injustice meted out by the children and families.  Mr. Shashidhara advised that for the change of mind set of the communities and to take action a memorandum to be submitted to the government. He strongly stated that it will even move towards approaching the High Court if required to get an appropriate direction.

Ms. Indira, General Manager, Women Development Corporation, Govt of Karnataka took the memorandum presented by the group and promised to advice the Govt to take necessary actions immediately to stream line the pensions. She shared that the process of resurvey of Devadasis is all set to be launched. Ms. Indira promised that she would call for a round table meeting with all concerned to resolve the issues raised by the affected families.