Warangal: Mallika Sarabhai denied permission by Centre to perform at Ramappa Temple

She said her personal and political differences with the BJP were behind the denial of permission.

Warangal: Kakatiya Heritage Trust Founder Trustee BV Papa Rao said union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy had denied permission for Mallika Sarabhai’s dance programme at Ramappa Temple in Mulugu district due to her ideological differences with the BJP. “Following the denial, we changed the venue to KUDA grounds in Hanamkonda,” he said.

Mallika Sarabhai said her personal and political differences with the BJP were behind the denial of permission. “I wanted to perform the ‘Shiva Shakti’ rupakam. But I was not given permission because of my personal and political differences with Hindutva and BJP. This is unfortunate. We live in an environment that does not allow questioning,”she said.

Speaking to the media here on Saturday, Papa Rao said they had applied to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), a Government of India agency, three months ago seeking permission for the dance performance.

“But permission was not given. union Minister Kishan Reddy said orally that permission was not given because the performance was being done by Mallika Sarabhai. It is unfortunate,” he said, adding that the KHT had planned to conduct the performance in December, but could not go ahead due to President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the UNESCO site.