Muslim traders banned from temple fairs in more districts in Karnataka

Bengaluru : What started off in coastal Karnataka and capital Bengaluru has spread to more districts with a growing number of temple authorities banning Muslim traders from attending their fairs.

Already snowballed into a crisis, the banning has made its way into Hassan, Tumakuru, Chikkamagalur and Shivamogga districts.

Temple authorities of historical Belur Channakeshava temple, Siddalingeshwara temple in Tumakuru district, Maha Ganapathy temple in Shivamogga have been appealed to allow only Hindu traders, according to IANS.

Hindutva outifits are reportedly at the forefront of banning Muslim traders from temple fairs.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has urged the district authorities not to allow Muslims to participate in the famous Belur Channakeshava Rathotsava to be held on April 13 and 14,the report said.

Bajrang Dal activists have joined chorus demanding against non-Hindus carry out business in famous Yediyur Siddalingeshwara fair from April 1.

VHP is clamouring for not allowing Muslim traders at the historical Maha Ganapathy fair scheduled to be held on April 5.

A banner put up by Hindu activists in Gonibeedu village near Mudigere town in Chikkamagalur district says that they will not allow those do not respect judiciary to carry out trade at Subramanyeshwara temple fair set to be held on March 27.

Recently, Hindu organisations banned Muslim traders in Puttur Marikamba fare, Mangaluru Maarikamba fare, Marigudi temple fare in Udupi, the report said.

The memorandums have been submitted to ban Muslim traders from participating in Adda Gadde, Kigga fares near Sringeri in Chikkamagalur district.

Pramod Muthalik, Srirama Sena Founder, earlier said that the ban on Muslim traders would continue until they do away with the habit of beef consumption.

Opposition Congress has slammed the ruling BJP government for the development and alleged that it is behind the crisis.