Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Oct 25: Of late, a new trend has been witnessed in and around Vittal in the taluk as regards fish trade. A team of activists belonging to Hindu organizations have been seeking support for their trade in the name of Hindu religion. They have been undertaking campaigning by telling the customers that fish vending vehicles are coming to their doorsteps, and offering fish at reasonable rates, duly asking the customers to support this initiative undertaken by Hindu activists.

Their endeavour is being given wide publicity through WhatsApp. A vehicle of the Hindu activists begins its journey from Kukkaje at 8.10 am and move through Salethur, Karai, Madaka, Kudtamugeru and Kodangayi. The vehicle then goes to Kadambu village and reaches Poorlappady via Anilakatte Road. It then goes to Kudtamugeru via Kantukadelu.

It is said that this team has been formed to break Muslim monopoly in fish trade in the region. Retail trade of fish here has always been dominated by Muslims. In the past, fish sellers used to come by bicycles, two-wheelers and auto rickshaws. Now-a-days more and more four-wheeler trucks, cars etc are seen selling fish in the retail. Most of these vendors are Muslims and the number of Hindus engaged in this trade is very less. The Hindu organizations have now put their activists in this business, and on an experimental basis, this initiative is being tested in Vittal and surroundings. Vinay Kumar and his friends, who are members of an organization, have undertaken this business now.

The messages being spread by WhatsApp also inform that the vehicle carrying fish will again come to them in the evening, and ask the people to support them by buying fish from them. The messages also request the concerned to spread this information among the neighbours of the recipients, besides providing the cellphone number of Vinay Kumar.
When contacted by a Kannada daily, Vinay, who did not want to reveal the name of the organization to which he belongs, confirmed that fish selling has been undertaken in the name of pro-Hindutva organizations and that this measure has been thought because of the aggression of Muslims in Kadambu and surrounding places where cases are registered against Hindus for frivolous things.

He said that noting that most of the Muslims depend on fish trade, they too thought of trying their hands at it, and that a few people have undertaken campaigning for them. He insisted that he and his friends are not following communal agenda, and that even Muslims buy fish from them.