Injustice led to ban on Muslim vendors around temples: Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha of Pejawar Math

The pontiff said the solution should emerge from within the society and religious leaders voicing opposition to the move is unlikely to help matters

With Muslims vendors being prohibited from doing business on temple premises during Hindu religious festivals and fairs in parts of Karnataka, Swamiji Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha of the renowned Pejawar Math on Wednesday said that certain incidents of injustice with Hindus had led to this "explosive situation".

He also said the solution should emerge from within the society and religious leaders voicing their opposition to the move is unlikely to help matters.

"The Hindu society has suffered a lot in the past. People are extremely hurt due to some unpleasant events. The problem will not solve if a few religious leaders speak against it. It should come from within the society," the seer of the Pejawar Math, belonging to the sect founded by Madhwacharya in the 13th century AD, told reporters in the temple town of Udupi in coastal Karnataka.

Udupi recently witnessed the hijab row first flaring up with a few Muslim students of the Government Girls Pre-University College alleging that they were denied entry to the college with the headscarf. The Muslim students later approached the Karnataka High Court against the ban on Islamic headscarves inside classrooms. The court dismissed their petition saying that they have to abide by the school uniform rule.

"Injustice leads to anger and if it goes to the extreme level then it explodes. This is what we are witnessing in our society today,” the seer said.

Stating that the pain has reached a flashpoint and it has exploded, the Swami said people should understand how much Hindus have suffered. That pain has to be addressed first. “If people say that such incidents will not take place in society then no intervention or pressure is required. Peace will prevail in the society on its own,” the seer said.

He added that people have to sit together, discuss and ponder over it.

The seer spoke to reporters after some Muslim leaders called on him and appealed to him not to impose any ban on Muslim vendors inside the temple premises during the festival. He was apprised of the problems faced by small traders who depend on the income received from shops set up around the temples during the annual fairs.

The delegation, led by Abubakker Atrady, also submitted a memorandum to the Swami on the various problems faced by traders belonging to the Muslim and Christian communities due to the boycott.

The hijab issue also might have led to the boycott of Muslim traders, he said, adding the root cause of the problem should be addressed.

Udupi Mother of Sorrows Church priest Fr Charles, Udupi priest Inamullah Khan and various trade outfit leaders were part of the delegation.

Many temples in Karnataka, especially in the coastal region, banned Muslims from doing business on the temple property. Their decision was based on a petition by right-wing organisations, who contended that the cow slaughter was going on unabated in the state. The organisations stated that when the Hindus took out a march in Gangolli in the district, the Muslims had stopped purchasing fish from Hindu fishermen.

Former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy also commented on the issue. “You (Hindu seers) do the job of propagating the messages of Hinduism, which emphasises on ‘Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu’ (Let everyone be happy) and not restricting people not to go to Muslim shops,” Kumaraswamy told reporters in Bengaluru.

"Karnataka is a garden of racial peace, which no one should spoil," he said. He pointed out that 15 Muslim families in Shivarapatna in Malur Taluk of Kolar district have been carving Hindu idols for the past 30 to 40 years.

Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal have intensified their drive against halal meat during the ‘Hosa Tadaku’ after Hindu new year ‘Ugadi’. The drive has taken a proportion of a state-wide campaign where some Hindutva activists are seen asking at many places to the Hindus, who eat non-vegetarian food to avoid halal meet during ‘Hosa Tadaku’.

The activists of the two outfits have been distributing pamphlets, which ask Hindus to take oath that they will not use halal meat.

“Halal is an offering made by a Muslim to Allah,” the pamphlet read.

The pamphlet distribution drive took place in Bengaluru, Magadi, Ramanagar, and Nelamangala, sources in the VHP said. BJP national general secretary C T Ravi on Tuesday likened halal with "economic Jehad".

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