Daijiworld Media Network – Chikkamagaluru (MS)

Chikkamagaluru, Jan 6: Activists of Bajrang Dal (BD) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) held protest procession from Deepti Circle in Karugunda village of Narasimharajapura of the district on Wednesday urging the removal of cross that is allegedly installed illegally. Police however, stopped the protesters midway and arrested them. Later they were released.

Sakleshpur Raghu, provincial convener of BD, R D Mahendra, district convener, K P Suresh Kumar, Taluk president of VHP led the protesters from Deepti Circle. When the procession reached Uma Maheshwari temple Circle, they were stopped by the police. Verbal duel ensued between police and BD leaders, who urged tahsildar to give explanation to their query.

Tahsildar Geetha and zonal forest officer Ranganath arrived on the spot. Speaking on the occasion, Suresh Kumar said, “Cross is erected on government land at Karagunda village. Later a church will be built there. Then it will become a religious conversion centre. Though a petition is given to the local tahsildar, unnecessary delay is done in implementing our request. If the government is not going to remove that cross, Hindu organisations will do it.”

Addressing the protesters BD convener Raghu said, “According to the information we have got, more than 180 crosses are erected on government land in Narasimharajapura. People of one community are encroaching the land that is allotted to poor people under Form number 50 and 53. We will give suitable answer for this.”

Tahsildar Geetha replied to the demand of protesters and said that they will take suitable legal action within a week after conducting a survey along with forest department and revenue departments. After the assurance of the tahsildar, protest was called off.