Some temples in Karnataka have barred Muslim traders from its premises. Meanwhile, a Hindutva group has demanded that halal meat been banned during Ugadi and a BJP leader has said that madrasas are creating “anti-national elements”
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s political secretary and legislator MP Renukacharya has demanded a ban om madrasas. PTI
After the Karnataka High Court (HC) order banning hijab in educational institutions, there’s a growing call to impose more restrictions on the Muslim community. A state leader wants madrasas banned and some fringe groups have called for impositions on halal meat. That’s not all.
We take a look at the growing demand in Karnataka to place restrictions on the community, even as two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators jump to its defence.
Ban on Muslim traders near temples
It all started with a temple in Shivamogga last week. The organising committee of Kote Marikamba Jatra, a five-day festival, decided to not give tenders to Muslim shopkeepers.
Now, the ban as spread to other parts of the state. Temples in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi Tumkur, Hassan, Chikmagalur, and other districts are imposing similar restrictions following demands by right-wing groups like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Jagarana Vedike, Bajrang Dal and Sree Rama Sene.
The state’s famous temples Belur Channakeshava in Hassan, Siddhalingeshwara in Tumkur, and even the 800-year-old Bappanadu temple have said that Muslim traders would not be allowed to set up stalls during festivals and fairs that are usually held between March and May.
The curbs have been justified by the ruling BJP government, citing a rule introduced during the Congress tenure in 2002 that barred non-Hindus from running shops in temple premises.
Two BJP legislators in the state have spoken out against the ban, demanding that the state government intervene. A H Vishwanath, an MLC, and Anil Benake, an MLA, have called the restrictions on Muslim traders “wrong” and “undemocratic”.
“No God or religion preaches these kinds of things. Religions are inclusive and not exclusive,” Vishwanath said.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the message of ‘sab ka vikas and vishwas’. But our state is moving in the wrong direction,” he further added.
Vishwanath is a former Congress minister and former state president of Janata Dal (Secular). The veteran OBC leader switched to the BJP in 2019.
Benake too viewed similar views, reports The Indian Express. “Under the Constitution, everybody has equal rights. Anybody can conduct business anywhere and people must decide where they want to buy from, that is all. We will not impose restrictions,” said the MLA from Belagavi North constituency, which has a sizeable Muslim population.
‘Ban madrasas’
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s political secretary and legislator MP Renukacharya stirred a controversy, as he said that he would urge the chief minister and the education minister to ban madrassas, as they are only creating “anti-national elements”.
“I ask Congress leaders why do we need madrasas in place of schools? What do they propagate in madrasas? They propagate instigation to innocent kids. Tomorrow, they will go against our country and they will never say Bharat Mata ki Jai,” the MLA said. “Madrasas should be banned or made to teach the syllabus what we teach in other schools.”
Earlier, state education minister BC Nagesh said that madrassa students were not getting contemporary education and if madrassas demand, then the government was ready to offer uniform education to all.
Ban on halal meet during Udagi
The Hindutva group Hindu Janajagruti Samiti has called for the boycott of halal meat products during the Ugadi celebrations in Karnataka.
“During Ugadi, there are a lot of purchases of meat, and we are starting a campaign against halal meat. As per Islam, halal meat is first offered to Allah, and the same cannot be offered to Hindu gods,” Mohan Gowda, the Samithi spokesperson, told Hindustan Times.
Ugadi is a New Year celebration and is observed in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. As per tradition, meat is consumed a day after the festival. However, according to Islamic practices, Muslims can only consume halal meat.
Araga Jnanendra, state home minister, said that the call for the ban on halal products was a result of the Muslim community’s protest against the HC verdict on the hijab, according to The Quint.
As Class 10 board exams began in the state, the state education minister said that no student would be allowed to wear hijab inside the examination hall. A few Muslim girls were denied entry because of the hijab. However, most minority students followed the guidelines.
With inputs from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.