Muslim vendors allege denial by Kudupu Temple authorities to set up stall during fair next week
Mangaluru, Dec 7: Muslim traders in Dakshina Kannada district have alleged that the state endowment department-administered Kudupu Anantapadmanabha temple here was not allotting stalls to vendors belonging to the minority community.
Stalls are coming up in the premises of the temple for the six-day 'Shasti Mahotsava' that begins on December 14.
In a memorandum to the Dakshina Kannada (DK) deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan on Thursday, the president of the forum of Muslim traders B K Imtiyaz said a group threatened the temple authorities that there would be a disturbance if stalls were allotted to Muslim traders. After the threat came, the temple authorities did not allot stalls to Muslim vendors, he alleged.
He asked the district administration to intervene and permit poor Muslim traders to eke out a living by selling their items in the stalls during the six-day fair.
Additional deputy commissioner Santosh Kumar, who received the memorandum, said he has sought a report from the temple authorities on the issue.
The Kudupu temple is one of the 44 A grade temples with an annual income of over Rs 25 lakh in the district. The 'Shasti Mahotsava' is held in all Subrahmanya temples including in Kukke Subrahmanya and Kudupu.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy accuses Karnataka govt of spreading lies regarding HMT, KIOCL
Bengaluru, Oct 17: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused the Karnataka government of spreading lies regarding Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) and Kudremukh Iron and Steel Company Limited (KIOCL).
He said he is ready for discussions with the state government, along with documents, on the two public sector undertakings but did not elaborate.
“The Congress government is spreading falsehoods regarding HMT and KIOCL. I am ready to discuss with the state government. If I am wrong, I will take responsibility," the Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his office.
The Minister said the state government should not politicise the KIOCL issue. If there are problems, it should resolve them.
“I am working to preserve public sector enterprises in the state. I will write to Chief Minister Siddaramaih and Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre to convene a meeting where I will present my documents. If KIOCL is at fault, as the minister, I will take responsibility. Beyond that, it is inappropriate to politicise state interests,” he underlined.
Kumaraswamy flayed the Forest Minister for "constantly issuing misleading statements" to the media about both HMT and KIOCL, urging him to "first read the documents and understand the facts before speaking."
He also alleged that the "obstinacy" of the state government has rendered about 300 to 400 KIOCL workers jobless.
