HYDERABAD: An old video of Chinna Jeeyar Swami making comments on tribal deities Sammakka-Saralamma and questioning their origin has enraged the adivasi community after it popped up on social media.Adivasi organisations, political leaders and activists have expressed anguish at the godman’s claims and members of Adivasi Sankshema Parishad Mahabubabad district SP Sharat Chandra Pawar lodged a complaint.
The complaint seeks action against the seer as per the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act of 1989. Another complaint was lodged at Dummugudem police station in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.
In the video, Chinna Jeeyar is seen addressing his devotees, questioning whether Sammakka and Saralamma were goddesses who had descended from the ‘Brahma Lok.’ “They are being worshipped as local deities in that village and let them do it. But educated people and even industrialists have been going there. They have named banks after them. That became a business now,” the seer says in the video, referring to the jatara.
Mulugu MLA Seethakka was quick to respond with a video of her own in which she has demanded the seer to immediately withdraw his words. “Sammakka and Saralamma have become an integral part of nature. People worship nature which includes trees, anthills, wildlife and more. Unlike the 120 kg Statue of Equality installed by the swami, where devotees are charged Rs 150 for darshan, in Medaram devotees won’t have to pay to see and feel their deities,” she said.
Taking a swipe at the seer for his close association with bigwigs in the real estate industry, Seethakka said that there were no real estate interests in the festivities at Medaram.She also sought to know the State government’s stand on the swami’s comments.CPI leader K Narayana also condemned the seer for his remarks, reminding him that Sammakka and Saralamma had fought against the then Kakatiya rulers to protect the rights of the adivasis.
He said that the deities represented the spirit of defiance against injustice, which has been passed on for centuries and will continue to be an integral part of the lives of adivasis in Telangana. Adivasi leaders also warned the swami that if he continued making such statements in the future, he would be asked to vacate the cottages he has established in Bhadrachalam and Adilabad without permission, as they are located in the agency areas.