Protesters seek 24 measures including higher monthly allowance, housing, land, education and employment
Thousands of former Devadasi women protested at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on August 20, seeking rehabilitation and social security. They submitted 24 demands covering monthly allowance, housing, land, education, employment and healthcare.
Bengaluru: Thousands of former Devadasi women staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Thursday, demanding rehabilitation, social security and implementation of government measures announced for their communities. The protest was organised under the leadership of the Freed Devadasi Mothers’ Maha Kondhwa, with women from different parts of Karnataka participating.
The protesters submitted 24 demands to the state government, including an increase in the monthly allowance, housing and house sites, agricultural land, education for children, employment, health insurance, self-employment opportunities and comprehensive rehabilitation.
The organisation representing the protesters alleged that economic, social and educational difficulties continue to affect not only women who have been freed from the Devadasi system but also their children and grandchildren. The protesters said government responsibility should extend to providing rehabilitation, education, employment and social security, while alleging that several announced measures have not been implemented effectively.
Devadasi Women Seek 24 Rehabilitation Measures
The protesters called for a comprehensive rehabilitation framework covering housing, land, livelihood, education, healthcare and social security.
One of the primary demands is an increase in the monthly allowance currently provided to former Devadasi women from ₹2,000 to ₹5,000. The protesters also demanded the removal of the existing age limit of 45 years for receiving the allowance.
According to the union, all former Devadasi women identified through the government survey should receive the allowance without an age restriction.
The protesters also sought house sites and housing for former Devadasi women who do not have homes. They demanded that every family be provided with safe housing and that the cost of a house unit be increased from ₹1.75 lakh to ₹5 lakh in rural areas and from ₹2 lakh to ₹7 lakh in urban areas.
Former Devadasi Women Demand Land and Employment
The protesters demanded agricultural land for former Devadasi women to support agriculture and livelihoods. They also sought training and financial assistance for small-scale industries, tailoring, food processing, animal husbandry and agriculture-based activities.
The union called for interest-free or low-interest loans to help former Devadasi women establish livelihood activities and improve their household income.
Employment opportunities were another part of the demands. The protesters sought job training, job fairs and employment opportunities in both government and private sectors for young people belonging to three generations of former Devadasi families.
They also demanded that appropriate priority be given to employment opportunities to improve the economic condition of these families.
Children of Former Devadasi Women Seek Education Support
The education and future of children and grandchildren of former Devadasi women were among the central issues raised during the protest.
The union demanded scholarships, free higher education and housing support for children across three generations. It also sought special coaching for competitive examinations, including NEET, TET, KAS and IAS.
The protesters demanded free admission to universities and educational institutions in Karnataka for eligible students up to graduation, post-graduation and Ph.D. levels. They also sought education, housing and other necessary educational assistance for children from former Devadasi families.
The union said education support should cover multiple generations to address the social and economic difficulties continuing within these families.
Health Insurance and Rehabilitation Among Demands
The protesters also sought health insurance, free medical treatment and necessary healthcare services for former Devadasi women and their families.
Special care arrangements were demanded for elderly and sick women. The union said healthcare support should form part of a broader rehabilitation programme rather than being treated separately.
Another demand concerns the administration of rehabilitation schemes. The protesters sought a single organisation to implement rehabilitation programmes instead of distributing responsibilities among multiple government departments.
The union also demanded representation for former Devadasi women in the selection of beneficiaries, implementation of schemes and monitoring of rehabilitation programmes.
2025 Devadasi Survey Faces Objections
The union also raised objections to the government’s 2025 re-survey of former Devadasi women, claiming that the exercise was not adequate.
The protesters demanded that all eligible former Devadasi women be included in the survey irrespective of age. They also called for the complete survey report to be placed before the state-level monitoring and evaluation committee for consideration and approval.
A transparent process should also be established to ensure that eligible women are not excluded from the survey, according to the union.
The protesters further demanded that rehabilitation benefits extend to three generations of former Devadasi families.
Karnataka Devadasi Act Awaits Presidential Assent
The protesters also sought implementation of the Karnataka Devadasi (Prevention, Prohibition, Redress and Rehabilitation) Act, 2025.
According to the protest organisers, the legislation passed by the Karnataka government has been sent for the President’s assent, but the assent has not yet been received.
The union demanded that the legislation be implemented at the earliest and that rehabilitation measures under the law cover three generations.
The protesters also referred to a special package announced for the development of Devadasi families in the Karnataka Budget for 2024-25 by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. They alleged that the package has not been implemented properly so far.
Minister K.H. Muniyappa Receives Protesters’ Appeal
Social Welfare Minister K.H. Muniyappa received the protesters’ appeal during the demonstration and assured them that the government would take necessary action on their demands.
The minister said the government would consider and examine the demands raised by the former Devadasi women, including rehabilitation, monthly allowance, housing, education and employment.
The protesters, however, called for implementation of the assurances. They pointed to previous government-level promises and said that announcements should be followed by concrete measures and government action.
The demonstration brought together thousands of former Devadasi women from different parts of Karnataka at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. The protesters sought a rehabilitation policy focused on rights, social security, housing, education, employment and livelihood support rather than limiting assistance to beneficiary status.
The 24 demands submitted to the government cover monthly allowance, housing, house sites, agricultural land, self-employment, healthcare, education, employment, rehabilitation and social security. The protesters said implementation of these measures is necessary to address the conditions faced by former Devadasi women and their families.
