Sri Ram Sene men vandalise Muslim vendors’ pushcarts near Karnataka temple

Nabisab, a watermelon seller, told the media, “About 8-10 people came and I was all alone. They did not even speak properly but vandalised the entire store. I had bought six quintals of watermelon and only one quintal was sold.”

A group of Right-wing activists allegedly vandalised pushcarts belonging to at least four Muslim vendors, in Dharwad. The incident happened near Sri Nuggikeri Hanumantha temple. The activists, reportedly belonging to Sri Rama Sene, smashed hundreds of watermelons and coconuts pic.twitter.com/EhbHiDORN3

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“I have been doing business in front of this temple for the past 15 years and never had a problem,” he said.
Locals said the right-wing activists had protested last week demanding removal of Muslim traders in front of the temple and submitted a memorandum. The activists barged in while the temple authorities were busy inside.

A local said there were police nearby but they stayed mute as the activists went on the rampage.

Dharward superintendent of police Krishnakanth told The Indian Express that a case had been registered over the vandalism but no arrest was made.

The temple officials told the media that they had allowed poor vendors to sell fruits, vegetables, flowers and pooja items. “Nearly 99 per cent of those who are here are Hindus. We had gone through the memorandum submitted by Sri Ram Sene and were about to make a decision but before that they barged in and created a mess,” one of them said.

Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy condemned the incident and demanded the activists be booked for their terror activities. “What is the difference between terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir who kill people and these people who are snatching away livelihood of the poor with vandalism. Those who have done it are neither humans nor Hindus,” he said.

The incident comes after right-wing activists launched a campaign against allowing Muslim vendors near temples. The BJP government has cited a 2022 rule issued under the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997, to support the bar on non-Hindus.