'Reaction for action': Karnataka Home Minister on Muslim vendors banned in temple fair

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra seems to have justified the temple administration in Kaup Mari Temple fair banning Muslim vendors. The Minister termed the development as a reaction on the Muslim community calling bandh the other day.

With Karnataka's famous temple administration in Udupi banning Muslim vendors being debated widely, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnandendra has justified the decision.

The Minister addressing the press said, "the decision by the temple administration is a reaction for the action by Muslim community. The Muslim community had called bandh and shut shops as a protest against the HC verdict," said Jnanendra.

He further added that he is pained by such developments as it will only create further divide in the society and efforts should be made to restore brotherhood. He said at the moment, he is only concerned about the law and order situation and has asked the Udupi police to be alert during the temple fair and also asked for a report.

The Kaup Mari Temple administration had ordered that this year stalls during the two-day fair will not be given to Muslims. Temple administration president Ramesh Hedge told Asianet Newsable that there was pressure from the Hindu group not to allot stalls to members from other communities and also said the temple administration also went by its Endowment Department orders that the stalls and shops must be given to Hindu vendors.

Earlier the temple administration in Shivamogga's Kote Marikamba also has issued the same directives and now Hindu groups contended that despite the HC verdict banning Hijab in the classroom, the community protested and held a bandh.

Prakash Kukkehalli, Mangaluru divisional general secretary of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) justified the decision of denying stalls to Muslims as it is right to put stalls in temple premises in reserved for Hindus and said, "The Muslim community has called for a bandh against HC verdict and forced three Hindu vendors to shut shop in of the complex in Kaup village and as a result now, the Hindu's are boycotting Muslims traders," said Kukkehalli.