BELLARY: As many as 14 people were arrested on Thursday on charge of defying prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code while they were trying to enter the Eeranna temple which is situated adjacent to the Vannurvali dargah in Hampi to perform "mass puja."

Prohibitory orders, which will be in force till June 8, were clamped in the wake of the decision of organisations including the Hindu Jagarana Vedike, Vishwa Hindu Parishat and the Save Hampi Campaign Committee to perform a "mass puja" at the temple for a week from Thursday. Incidentally, the three-day Vannurvali urs is being observed at the same venue from June 10. The police had beefed up security to prevent anyone from going near the site.

Tension was sparked off on Thursday following an argument reportedly between pro-Hindu activists and the authorities over the prohibitory orders. The authorities said that pro-Hindu activists would not be allowed to go near the venue to perform puja as they apprehended that it was a "deliberate attempt" to create problem. They said the puja could be performed any day after June 12.

This is the third year in succession that pro-Hindu organisations, under the banner of Save Hampi Campaign, have been opposing the observance of Urs and alleging that the "dargah" was built on encroached land adjacent to the Eeranna temple.

The committee had also alleged that the sanctity of Hampi was being spoilt owing to cooking and consumption of non-vegetarian food near the temples and the Purandara mantap, located at a stone's throw from the dargah.

Opposition

Although the urs was reportedly being observed for the past several years, pro-Hindu organisations began opposing it since 2005.

In 2006, the plan of the pro-Hindu organisations to perform mass puja on the day which coincided with the second day of the three-day urs was foiled by the police and the urs was observed without any interruptions.

Pro-Hindu activists were sore that Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa "had not taken any steps to prevent the observance of urs as he had promised in 2005."

This year, the pro-Hindu organisations had chalked out a week-long programme at the venue. Official sources told The Hindu that the pro-Hindu activists had kept away from attending a peace committee meeting held at Hospet on Wednesday.

The prohibitory orders were likely to be extended, an official said.

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