THE state level protest dharna organised on March 14 at Freedom Park Bangalore by Devadasi Sangha ended in a success.  More than 1,500 devadasi women and their children from different parts of the state participated in the dharna.

The president of the Karnataka State Devadasi Vimochana Sangha (KSDVS) and state CPI(M) secretary, U Basavaraju, inaugurated and explained the background of the dharna. The dharna was led by the working president of the organisation Renukamma, general secretary Malamma, and vice president Padma.  This state level protest was organised after protests for three days at taluk and district centres did not elicit any response. 

U Basavaraju narrated with examples, how cruel devadasi system persists forced by powerful vested interests even after 75 years of independence. No woman adopts devadasi practice voluntarily. They are forced to accept this cruel inhuman system. This should be abolished in practice, legally banning alone will not help.  He said ruling classes lack the willpower and have encouraged the system instead.
A memorandum was submitted to the concerned officials, with 13 major demands. The key demands are: in the 2022 state budget, devadasi women's monthly pension should be raised to Rs 3000. This should be extended to their children also.  All children and other family members of devadasi women should be surveyed and rehabilitated accordingly.

Leaders of various democratic organisations addressed the dharna expressing their solidarity and support. Nityananda Swamy, president of Karnataka State Agriculture Worker's Union, Nagaraja Nanjundaiah, Gopala Krishna Haralahalli, DSMM national executive committee member and state convenor of DHS-Karnataka, H S Sunanda, state CITU secretary, Gowramma, JMS state general secretary and K S Vimala addressed and participated in the dharna. SY Gurushanth, state convenor of Karnataka state Adivasi Samanvaya Samithi, and activists of CITU, DHS working in Bangalore district also participated and expressed solidarity.
The joint directors of Women and Child Welfare Development Corporation and the Department of Social Welfare, arrived at the place of the protest in the evening and promised to look into the demands. Protesters refused to call off the protest and demanded that the minister should meet them. At about 10 pm, minister Halappa arrived at the site with the commissioners of the Women and Child Welfare Development Corporation and other officials. He assured to increase the monthly pension and meet other demands.  With the minister's positive assurance, the dharna was withdrawn at around 11.30 pm.