Posters against non-Hindu traders emerge in Dakshina Kannada dist

The poster reads, “As Champa Shashthi festival will be celebrated at Kukke Subramanya, the shops and stalls of other communities except Hindus are banned around the temple.”

The right-wing group Hindu Jagaran Vedike has allegedly put up posters at the Kukke Subramanya temple, ‘banning’ shops belonging to non-Hindus, in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district during the upcoming temple Champa Shashthi festival that falls on November 29, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Police and the state government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, are yet to react to the matter. (Getty Images)

The poster reads, “As Champa Shashthi festival will be celebrated at Kukke Subramanya, the shops and stalls of other communities except Hindus are banned around the temple.”

One of the temple’s executive officers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to the media, said that the temple was not responsible for the poster. “The poster is erected around 1km away from the temple premises. We do not hold any responsibility,” the officer said.

When asked if they plan to allow non-Hindu traders to set up their shops/stalls during the festival time, the officer said they were following the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Rules, 2002.

The Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Rules, 2002, allows only Hindu traders to set up stalls/shops during any community or temple festivals. “We are following state government rules,” the officer said.

Police and the state government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, are yet to react to the matter.

In March a similar poster had came up near the Bappanadu Durgaparameshwari temple in Dakshina Kannada, asking authorities to not lease stalls to those from other communities.

These banners were also seen in Chikmagalur’s Gonibeedu village; in that instance, it declared non-Hindu traders could not be allowed at the Subramanyeshwara temple fair.

Karnataka law minister JC Madhuswamy appeared to support the move. Speaking in the state assembly, he said, “In Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act in 2002, Rule 12 states that no property including land, building or site located near the institution shall be leased to non-Hindus. Following these rules, posters and banners have been put up.”