Symbolic protest against Champa

Mysuru: Strongly condemning the 83rd Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana President Prof. Chandrashekar Patil (Champa) for refusing to don the Mysuru Peta and to enter Bhuvaneshwari Devi Temple, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj rode on a chariot yesterday in the city to register his point. In a symbolic way of registering his opposition to Champa’s actions, Nagaraj not only donned the Mysuru Peta, but also offered prayers to Goddess Bhuvaneshwari Devi in the Palace premises. Stating that insulting Mysuru Peta is a crime, Nagaraj opined that the Sammelana was a failure. Pointing to the rich legacy of the ‘Peta,’ Nagaraj said that the Peta has been worn by the likes of Sir C.V. Raman, former President Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Mysuru Maharajas and Sir M. Visvesvaraya among others.