Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Aug 20: After the district deputy commissioner recently issued instructions to evict or regularize the centres of worship standing in public property in tune with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court, frantic activities are being witnessed in various places in the twin-districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.  Reportedly, several centres of worship standing since centuries, and which were hitherto considered as regular, are among the recipients of this notice.

An important meeting is being convened under the leadership of RSS leader, Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, in Sangh Niketan in the city on Saturday August 21 to discuss the issue. Through a release, Mangalore division president of Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Prof M B Puranik, has requested Hindus from the twin-districts, whose centres of worship are facing problems, to take part in the meeting. It is planned to draw up an action plan to effectively face the challenge that has suddenly cropped up.

Several religious leaders are of the opinion that the very yardsticks applied by the panchayat development officers while drawing up a list of irregular religious structures, were wrong. The devotees claim that the revenue department has been keeping their applications for regularizing the land on which the centres of worship stand, since several decades, and are angry at the fact that they are being made to pay the price for the inertia shown by the department.

Vishwa Hindu Parishat and Bajrang Dal have warned in Sullia that they will stage strong protests if steps are taken to demolish Hindu centres of worship by the government. In a press conference, district joint convener of Bajrang Dal said in Sullia that those who issued notices on behalf of the district administration do not have enough legal knowledge, as notices have been issued to long-standing centres where there are no problems, and those standing on private property. A Hindu Religion Welfare Forum under the leadership of  Dr Haraprasad Tudiyadka, was formed at a meeting held in Chennakeshava temple in Sullia on Thursday. MLA, Angara, leaders of Dharma Jagarana Vedike and RSS and other outfits, were present at the meeting.

It is also learnt that leaders heading several churches, mosques and Jain Basadis that have been listed as irregular, have also been planning strategies to counter the move, although the number of such identified religious centres is much smaller, as compared to the temples that have been deemed as irregular.