Karnataka: Hindu vendors' union against allowing Muslims to set up shops during festivals, fairs

A division among vendors on communal lines, came to the fore with Karnataka Rajya Hindu Jaatra Vyaparasthara sangha urging government not to allow non-Hindus (Muslims) to set up shops during fairs or annual festivals of temples under the Endowment Department.

Sangha President Mahesh Das said as under section 31 (12) of Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act no property including land, building or site situated near the temple should be leased to non-Hindus. Mahesh also urged government to ensure that `elam' (auctioning of stalls in temple premises) are not conducted in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. "Elams, seen only in DK and Udupi districts, are root-cause of all problems," he declared.

"Management committee of temples, that are not under the endowment department, can take a decision on whether to allow Muslim vendors during temple festivals," he said while responding to a query. Presently, the Sangha, launched in May this year, has over 70,000 members. A meeting of the members will be held soon, Das informed.

Das, responding to another query, said they decided to float an association in order to save Hindu vendors from total financial ruin.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad had first launched the campaign of preventing Muslims from setting up shops during temple fairs after members from the Muslim community had called for a ban against the Karnataka High Court’s judgement upholding the government's ban on hijabs in educational institutions.

DK district Beedhibadhi Vyaparasthara Shreyobhivruddhi Sangha Honorary President B K Imthiyaz said vested interests were targetting vendors in order to spread communal violence in both districts.

Imthiyaz, addressing mediapersons on Thursday, quoted the Endowment Department Commissioner's order (dated August 11) that allowed non-Hindus to take part in the auctioning of stalls and setting up shops in places outside the temple's premises. He warned of launching a protest if district administration in Udupi and DK did not initiate action against associations mounting pressure on temple management committees and preventing non-Hindus from setting up shops.

Bappanadu Sri Durgaparameshwari temple Managing Trustee N S Manohar Shetty told DH that many temples, in order to avoid conflict between Hindus and non-Hindu vendors, would follow their examples. The temple, during the annual festival in April this year, did not allow any stalls to be set up in their premises.