Mahouts threaten to boycott Dasara procession

Mysore, Sep 1 (UNI) The mahouts of royal elephants have decided not to take part in the world famous Dasara Procession here this year, in protest against the non-implementation of their long-pending demands, including regularisation of service.

In a press note here today, Mr J K Mani of 'Bharatiya Girijana Shikshana Samsthe' said the mahouts had decided to boycott the Dasara Procession and not to mount the elephants which carry the 'Golden Howdah', the main attraction of the event.

Mr Mani said despite several appeals made to regularise the services of mahouts, the state government had failed to respond positively. The mahouts, as part of their protest have also decided to stay away from the 'Gajapayana' which marked the beginning of the preparations of the procession.

They would register their protest during the visit of Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to Hunsur on Monday.

Reacting to the decision of the mahouts, the District In-charge Minister G T Deve Gowda said he would take up the issue with Chief Minister and sort it out.

UNI