MYSURU: The Nayaka (Valmiki) community that prevailed on the Centre to include Parivara-Talawara communities in the list of Schedule Tribes and is pushing to enhance ST reservation up to 7.5%, now wants Valimki bhavan and a statue of Valmiki statue inside the proposed Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Valmiki, a sage, wrote the Ramayana.
They feel that whenever Lord Ram is referred, Valmiki’s name too must be mentioned.
A campaign in this regard has been launched with many writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the request.Chikkamagaluru Valmiki Nayaka Samithi president Bheemappa said letters are posted from every village, block and district in the state with a plea to build Valimki Bhavan and install the statue of the sage inside the temple.
“How can we refer to Ekalvya without mentioning Dronacharya?” he asked. “Valmiki made Ram a Mahapurush,” he added. Having a mutt and seer of their community, besides two MPs and 17 MLAs, the Nayakas who are around 52 lakh in the state, are capable of taking up the issue at the appropriate forum, he said.
The community also has Valimki Thirath Sthal in Amritsar in Punjab.
Bharathiya Valmiki Dharma Samaj state president Sandesh Nayaka has also written to the Pejawar seer to extend his support for their plea. He said backward classes and Nayaka community will support the decision to construct the temple.
Valmiki Development Corporation former chairman S C Basavaraju said a campaign has been launched in this regard across the country as Valmikis should also get due recognition. Basavaraju said they are for Valmiki statue in Adhodya, but it should not be politicised or communalised as he is respected for giving the world the great epic.
A signature campaign
has been launched. Letters are posted from every village, block and district in the state with a plea to build Valimki Bhavan and install the statue of the sage inside the templeBheemappa, president Chikkamagaluru Valmiki Nayaka Samithi