Banjara community members should give priority to education of girl children in their community, said Dakshina Kannada District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai. He was speaking after inaugurating the convention of Karavali Banjara community in Mangalore on Sunday.
“Education of girl children will strengthen the family. Education will also help in eradicating superstitious beliefs in the society.”Banjara is one of the backward communities which has been deprived of social justice. The community needs to be empowered economically and socially. Barriers come in the way of progress of any backward community in the caste dominated system. Reservations helps the backward communities to come to the mainstream of the society, he said.
Stating that one should not infuse blind beliefs into society in the name of God, he said bettale seve (worshiping in the nude) should be banned completely. Rai promised of making all possible efforts to provide facilities to Banjara community including allocation of land towards construction of a community hall. Mangalore South MLA J R Lobo said communities like Bajnara are facing difficulties in availing the government facilities meant for them.
He called upon the educated members in the community to create an awareness among the illiterates in the community on the available government schemes. Dependence on government facilities will not help to come up. Backward communities should give priority to education. More youth from the community should enrol themselves for higher education.
Karavali Sri Sevalal Banjara Sangha DK district President Jayappa N Lamani presided over the function, Akhila Bharatha Banjara Seva Sangha State President Rama Naika, Kuvempu University Professor Dr Sannarama Naika , MGM College , Udupi Principal Dr N Hala Naika among others were present.