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Preparing list of Karnataka’s ‘illegal’ churches: Sri Rame Sene chief
Some houses in Karnataka have been converted into churches where they just put a cross, conduct prayers and these places are used for (religious) coversions, Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik said
Right-wing group Sri Rama Sene is reportedly preparing a list of “illegal” churches and mosques in the southern state. “All our workers are preparing a list, identifying illegal churches. Some houses have been converted into churches where they just put a cross, conduct prayers and these places are used for (religious) coversions,” Sri Rama Sene chief Pramod Muthalik said. By his estimate, there are over 500 such churches in the state.
Members of the another right-wing outfit Narendra Modi Vichar Manch have also demanded that a survey be conducted in mosques where they have clear “evidence” about the presence of Hindu monuments like an idol, ‘Kalyani’ (pond), ‘Gopura’ or gateway to a temple.
“Earlier, when road works were being carried out in Kalaburagi, they had found Hindu monuments and idols. All ancient mosques where prayers are offered were built over 400 to 500 years ago and were constructed by demolishing Hindu temples and building masjids over them,” he (WHO ???) said.
The group had earlier asked the state government to conduct a survey of the Masjid-e-Ala in Srirangapatna of Mandya district, which they believe was a Hanuman temple, HT had reported.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators from Karnataka, Arvind Bellad and MP Renukacharya had also demanded that a survey of all the mosques be carried out in the state, HT had reported on April 21.
The latest campaign has also found backing from a section of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership in the state. “We have taken Ayodhya, now it is Kashi and (then we) will take Mathura,” former minister and senior BJP leader KS Eshwarappa said on Tuesday. The minister had previously talked about reclaiming all the 36,000 temples, that were destroyed by the Mughals, legally.
“We have no problems with newly-built mosques . But the ones which have been built by demolishing Hindu temples, we will not spare those. Now, the Hindu community has the strength to do this (reclaim the temples),” he said.
The development comes amid a recent survey ordered by a Varanasi court of the Gyanvapi mosque, based on a plea that claims the existence of idols of Hindu deities inside the mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi.
Meanwhile, reverend Peter Machado, the Archbishop of Bangaloresaid that the government had given no such directions and the actions of the right-wing groups is nothing but “provocation”.
“We have been saying this repeatedly that it’s not their (right-wing groups) job (to carry out such surveys). The government has not troubled us so far and has to support us on this,” he said.
“If the government will issue any such notice, we will give the details but I am not comfortable with any groups giving us any directions on what should be done,” he added.
Machado said that several small structures of different faiths can be found along the roadsides which may not be “completely legal” but added that these are not disturbed as no one wants to hurt religious sentiments.
