The demonstrators, representing the Budakattu Samudayagala Samskritika Sahitya Parishat, were led by T.D. Raj, founder‑secretary of the organization, who said the protest reflects long‑standing grievances of communities such as Koli, Kabbaliga, Besta, Tokari Koli, Valikara, Talawara, Jamadar, Naikodi and Natikara, who have celebrated the Jokumara festival for generations, especially after Ganesh Chaturthi.
The festival’s core ritual involves women carrying clay idols of Jokumara in wooden baskets, visiting households, singing folk songs and receiving grains as offerings – a practice confined to these communities and described by Raj as an integral part of their cultural heritage.
Raj warned that many families who preserve the tradition continue to face severe economic hardship, lacking adequate access to education, healthcare, employment opportunities and other welfare schemes offered by the state.
The Parishat’s demands include an annual grant of ₹51,000 to fund the organization of the festival in villages and a monthly honorarium, to be disbursed through the Department of Kannada and Culture, for women who keep the associated folk songs and arts alive.
The protest aims to compel the government to formalise support, which the groups argue would sustain the cultural practice while alleviating the socioeconomic challenges confronting its practitioners.