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Janata Dal (S), Left parties to hold demonstration

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE Nov. 29. To pressure the State Government to deal firmly with the Sangh Parivar outfits which they alleged were "trying to disrupt'' peace in the State by holding the Datta Jayanthi celebrations at the Bababudangiri shrine in Chikmagalur district, the Janata Dal (Secular), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), and the Communist Party of India (CPI) will hold a demonstration outside the Deputy Commissioner's office here on Tuesday.

At a press conference, Ananthu, President of the Janata Dal (S) city unit, N.S. Prabhakar, Secretary of the CPI(M) district committee, and K. Venkataramaiah, Secretary of the CPI district committee, criticised the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal for spreading religious hatred among people on the pretext of the jayanthi celebrations.

Accusing the Government of doing little to rein in the "troublemakers'', the three parties appealed to all progressive organisations and secular-minded individuals to join them in the demonstration. Emphasising the need to maintain status quo at Bababudangiri and foil the "evil" designs of communal forces, Mr. Prabhakar warned the Government that the VHP and the Bajrang Dal were trying to convert the State into another Gujarat by creating a communal standoff and letting loose a reign of terror on minorities. Though the Congress claimed to be secular, the Government's failure to deal with the Sangh Parivar outfits with an iron hand was causing concern. "The Government is unable to check the provocative speeches delivered by communal elements against the minority community,'' Mr. Ananthu said.

The three leaders said though the situation had become volatile, the Government had allowed the communal organisations to go ahead with their "unlawful activities''. But the authorities concerned were refusing permission to progressive forces for holding programmes near the shrine. There was an urgent need for the police and the district officials of Chikmagalur to be cautioned against colluding with communal forces. Efforts should be made to hold the Urus performed for several decades.

They said the Government should immediately take steps to prevent the holding of the celebration evolved by the Sangh Parivar in the recent past for instilling fear among the minorities. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had patronised it for political mileage.

According to Mr. Ananthu, "there is no religious, historical, or traditional significance to Datta Jayanthi celebrations.'' Immediate steps should be taken to prevent the installation of idols and unlawful assembly of people during the jayanthi, he said.

Describing the shrine as an example of Hindu-Muslim amity, Mr. Prabhakar said the communal outfits were making innocent people wear the Datta Male and indoctrinating them with the venom of religious hatred. "It is an attempt to ignite communal violence all over the State by misguiding innocent people,'' he added.

Referring to the recent statement of H.N. Ananth Kumar, President of the BJP State unit, describing Bababudangiri-Datta Peetha as "South India's Ayodhya'' and the party's commitment to "liberate the shrine", Mr. Prabhakar said the BJP was resorting to its usual strategy of inflaming communal passions when elections drew near. "After the Idgah Maidan issue in Hubli was solved, the BJP had no other issue to create a communal standoff in the State. They are trying to reap political gains by creating a controversy over the Bababudangiri-Datta Peetha row,'' he said.

He said the BJP had fared poorly in almost all the elections held in the State in the recent past. The people had rejected it even in the elections to the local bodies.

The legislators from the party were leaving it. Those who had chosen to stay back were facing public disenchantment.

The party was hoping to gain political leverage through communal polarisation of society, he added.

Mr. Venkataramaiah warned that the main aim of the communal forces was to create an explosive situation in Bababudangiri and stir communal riots in the State.

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