Restrictions on non-Hindu traders near temples 'spread hatred'

On Tuesday, traders of the minority community conducted business at the temple premises under police protection

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The demand of right-wing Hindu outfits to ban Muslim traders from the VV Puram religious festival in Bengaluru has received a heavy blacklash from citizens belonging to all walks of life. On Tuesday, traders from the minority community carried out their business at the temple premises under police protection.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists had approached the municipal body’s chief commissioner Tushar Girinath and the deputy chief commissioner of police (south division) P Krishnath, seeking a ban on the participation of Muslim traders in the two-day Subramanyeshwara temple festival, which is widely known as the VV Puram festival.When one looks at the legality of the demand, a close look at Rule 31(12) of the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Rules 2002 says:

“No property, including land, building or sites situated near the institution (temple) shall be leased out to non-Hindus.”The All India Lawyers’ Association for Justice (AILAJ) had written to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, when the issue first erupted in the month of March, that the government’s justification for the ban is untenable since Rule 31(12) doesn’t cover public roads.

It had cited the Supreme Court stay on an Andhra Pradesh High Court judgement that upheld similar provisions of 2003 that banned non-Hindus from participating in temple property auctions in Andhra Pradesh. Muslim traders have always been part of temple fairs in Karnataka - setting up stalls that sold commodities – from food to bangles.

Chickpet constituency BJP MLA Uday Garudachar while commenting on the recent VV Puram issue had said that all are free to trade in a secular nation and such bans must not be imposed. He added that the temple does not fall under the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department, and while people from Hindu and Muslim communities live in harmony, a few individuals were trying to create issues.

When asked if Hindu traders are allowed to carry on their business within the limits of mosques and dargahs, he defended the minority community and said that he would stand with Hindu traders if a problem arose but the problems are non-existent. The union of district street vendors organisations has called for the arrest of those who have demanded the ban and have deemed them “anti-Constitution miscreants”.

The union claimed that law-abiding street vendors from KR Market, Whitefield, Hennur and various other areas were affected by the demand and have been made to witness losses. They requested the authorities to ensure equal opportunity to all as held by the Constitution.

“This boycott virus has entered Bengaluru. Fortunately, the festival seems to have passed off without a boycott. Bengaluru needs to be on guard. Hatred is worsening,” tweeted Bahutva Karnataka, a civil rights organisation. Manohar Elavarthi, an activist based in Karnataka tweeted, “Sangh Parivar started religious polarisation for the state assembly election that is to be held in May 2023?”

Thousands of devotees attended the fair on Tuesday and the idol of Subramaneshwara was taken out to a procession on a silver chariot with tight police security. The temple was built in 1934, and conducts the festival annually