State BJP chief B Y Vijayendra on Thursday demanded the immediate dismissal of Kannada Development Authority (KDA) chairman Purushottam Bilimale, accusing him of insulting the Yakshagana artform and the wider Hindu community after the latter’s remarks insinuating a prelidiction towards homosexuality among performers in earlier decades.
Vijayendra called the comments unacceptable and urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to act without delay. “Bilimale has insulted not just Yakshagana but the entire Hindu society,” he said, warning that the BJP would take to the streets if the government failed to respond. He also criticised the administration more broadly, alleging that “governance in the state has completely collapsed” amid internal competition for the chief ministership.
The dispute arose after Bilimale, a former Yakshagana artiste himself, spoke at a book launch in Mysuru and described homosexuality as “inevitable” among performers in the 1960s, citing the conditions under which they lived and travelled. He later defended the remarks, telling a news channel that performers of that era spent months on the road, often isolated from their families and under significant strain. “The Yakshagana troupes travelled for six months and travelled months on end away from their families. Such continuous travel brought issues such as poverty, no connection with their family, and biological problems, which included sex,” he said.
Bilimale added that some artistes had privately shared their experiences with him over the years. “I was also a Yakshagana artiste for 30–40 years. I love the art. But once you remove your costume and step off the stage, what is your life? That is the question.” He suggested that a small number of performers, particularly men who played female roles, faced pressure within troupes and that refusal of same sex advances sometimes allegedly resulted in on stage harassment. He stressed that these accounts reflected an earlier period. “Today their lifestyle is different. Artistes travel in cars and return home after shows. Things have changed.”
{{/usCountry}}Bilimale added that some artistes had privately shared their experiences with him over the years. “I was also a Yakshagana artiste for 30–40 years. I love the art. But once you remove your costume and step off the stage, what is your life? That is the question.” He suggested that a small number of performers, particularly men who played female roles, faced pressure within troupes and that refusal of same sex advances sometimes allegedly resulted in on stage harassment. He stressed that these accounts reflected an earlier period. “Today their lifestyle is different. Artistes travel in cars and return home after shows. Things have changed.”
{{/usCountry}}The controversy deepened when Bilimale was quoted as saying that “most Yakshagana performers are homosexuals.” Vijayendra called it an affront to a centuries old folk theatre tradition known for its elaborate costumes, dance drama performances, and cultural significance across coastal Karnataka. He said the Congress government had shown “contempt for Yakshagana” by keeping Bilimale in office.