Muslim vendors denied permission: Rules framed by Congress regime, says Minister J C Madhuswamy
Bengaluru, Mar 23: The Karnataka government on Wednesday sought to distance itself from the issue regarding denial of permission for Muslim traders and vendors to carry out business during Hindu festivals and annual temple fairs in parts of the state, citing rules.
Clarifying that the rule does not apply to street vendors outside the temple premises and action will be taken if any obstructions have been caused to them, the government said it will look into the rules and actual situation on the ground, before taking any further step on the matter.
This was in response to questions raised by opposition members in the legislative assembly following reports that banners were placed during the annual Kaup Marigudi festival in Udupi district, stating that Muslim vendors and traders should not be allowed entry.
Similar banners were also said to have been displayed at Padubidri temple festival, and also at couple of temples in Dakshina Kannada district.
"While framing rules to Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments act in 2002, Rule 12 states that no property including land, building or site situated near the institution shall be leased to non-Hindus. Citing these rules, posters and banners have been put up," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said.
Observing that it is being alleged street vendors are obstructed from engaging in trade, he said, if any obstruction is being caused to them, outside the premise of a religious place, it will be rectified and action will be taken.
"If things are happening (other community vendors trading) within the premises, they will have to follow the rules. Our (BJP) government did not formulate these rules. The rules were formulated by the Congress government in 2002 and now you are trying to put blame on us," he said, adding that rules should be followed.
Stating that the rules are wrong whoever may have made it, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said when there is free trade such things cannot be allowed.
He urged the government to take action against those who are trying to disturb harmony and to restrict such activities. "How can anyone ask street vendors not to trade for religious reasons?" he questioned.
Intervening, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said areas near religious places during temple fairs are leased out and those who take on lease will give sublease to traders. "These decisions are by those who have taken lease...we will look into what the rules say and what has happened there on the ground," he said.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress' deputy leader in the assembly U T Khader said some forces are trying to disturb tranquility in the society by creating issues.
"When street vendors are earning their daily wages by trading, at some religious places banners are being put up stating that vendors from certain communities should not trade nearby. Some cruel-minded cowards are doing it. No religion supports it," he said.
Some BJP MLAs, including K G Bopaiah, took strong objection to usage of the word coward, leading to heated exchange between some opposition Congress and ruling party members.
Clarifying that he has not taken any religion's name, Khader questioned why police are not acting against people putting up such banners, and urged the government to take strict action against those trying to spread communal hatred.
Another Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said an attempt is being made to disturb harmony by putting banners and posters that traders and vendors from a particular community should not trade near a religious place.
Some fundamental organisations are supporting such things, Arshad said as he asked the government to take action, pointing out that this is the time of temple fairs and Urs, and to protect the constitutional rights of people.
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‘Self-styled Vishwaguru stands exposed’: Cong's dig at PM over Pak role in US-Iran ceasefire
New Delhi (PTI): Taking a swipe at the government, the Congress on Wednesday said the role played by Pakistan in bringing about the ceasefire between the US and Iran is a “severe setback” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's “highly personalised diplomacy” and “the self-styled Vishwaguru stands thoroughly exposed”.
The opposition party also said Prime Minister Modi's “cowardice is demonstrated by his silence not only on Israel’s belligerence, but on the completely unacceptable and disgraceful language being used by his good friend in the White House”.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the entire world will cautiously welcome the two-week ceasefire in the West Asia conflict between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other.
“The conflict had begun on February 28th with the targeted assassinations of the topmost echelons of the regime in Iran. These had started just two days after Prime Minister Modi had completed his much-trumpeted visit to Israel, a visit that diminished India’s global stature and standing,” Ramesh claimed.
PM Modi had said nothing about Israel’s "genocide" in Gaza and its aggressively expansionist policies in the occupied West Bank, Ramesh said.
“The role played by Pakistan in bringing about the ceasefire is a severe setback to both the substance and style of Mr Modi’s highly personalised diplomacy,” he said.
The policy to isolate Pakistan for its continuing support to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and to convince the world that it is a failed state has clearly not succeeded – unlike what Manmohan Singh had accomplished after the Mumbai terror attacks, Ramesh claimed.
That a bankrupt economy dependent entirely on the largesse of external donors and a broken country in so many ways was able to play such a role calls into question Modi’s strategy of engagement and narrative management, he said.
“He (Modi) or his team has also never explained why Op Sindoor was suddenly and abruptly halted on May 10th 2025 - the first announcement of which came from the US Secretary of State and for which the US President has claimed credit almost a hundred times since then,” the Congress leader said.
“There is a palpable sigh of relief everywhere. The External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) dismissed Pakistan as a dalal. But now the self-styled Vishwaguru stands thoroughly exposed, his self-declared 56-inch chest shrunk and shrivelled,” Ramesh said.
“His cowardice is demonstrated by his silence not only on Israel’s belligerence, but on the completely unacceptable and disgraceful language being used by his good friend in the White House,” the Congress leader added.
US President Donald Trump pulled back on his threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran late Tuesday, as the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump swerved to de-escalate the war less than two hours before the deadline he set for Tehran to capitulate to a deal or face attacks on its bridges and power plants meant to destroy the Iranian civilisation.
Trump made the dramatic announcement on Truth Social on Tuesday evening (US time) even as Democrats called for his removal over unhinged threats to wipe out the Iranian civilisation.
"Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz," the US President said in a social media post.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council said it has accepted the ceasefire and that it would negotiate with the United States in Pakistan beginning Friday. Neither Iran nor the United States said when the ceasefire would begin, and attacks took place in Israel, Iran and across the Gulf region early Wednesday.
Israel backed the US ceasefire with Iran but the deal doesn't cover fighting against Hezbollah in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Wednesday.
