‘We live in a secular country and everyone is free to do business,’ BJP MLA snubs demand to ban Muslim traders in Bengaluru religious festival
The police have detained three right-wing activists as they threatened to stage a protest against the decision to allow Muslim traders at the festival.
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BJP MLA Uday Garudachar. (Photo source: Twitter/ Uday Garudachar)Reacting to the demand of right-wing Hindu outfits to ban Muslim traders from the VV Puram religious festival in Bengaluru, BJP MLA Uday Garudachar Tuesday said all were free to trade in the country and such bans should not be imposed. Traders belonging to the minority community Tuesday carried out business at the temple festival under police protection.
Notably, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists have approached Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) chief Tushar Girinath and deputy commissioner of police (south) P Krishnakanth seeking a ban on the participation of Muslim traders in the two-day Subramanyeshwara temple festival, popularly known as the VV Puram festival, which started Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the police have detained three right-wing activists as they threatened to stage a protest against the decision to allow Muslim traders at the festival.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, Chickpet constituency BJP MLA Uday Garudachar said India is a secular country and everyone is free to do business. “Also, the temple does not fall under the Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments Department. People from the Hindu and the Muslim communities live in harmony here and a few individuals are trying to create problems,” he said.
Asked if Hindus will be allowed to do business near dargahs and mosques, the MLA said: “Many Hindu traders participate… and I will come and stand with Hindu traders if there is a problem but there is none.”
Thousands of devotees visited the fair Tuesday and the idol of Subramaneshwara was taken out in a procession on a silver chariot amid tight police security. The VV Puram temple, which was built in 1934, has been carrying out an annual festival that attracts a good number of visitors.
VV Puram is located between Lalbagh and Basavanagudi in south Bengaluru and was developed in the 19th century. The layout has been named after Sir M Visvesvaraya, a decorated dewan of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom.
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