MANGALURU: Posters asking non-Hindu traders to keep away from a two-day jatra of a temple in Ullal surfaced near here on Monday. The posters put up by VHP-Bajrang Dal on the roadside of a ground in Ullal Bail stated that "only those who worship the gods of this land are allowed to set up shops here". However, the controversial posters were pulled down by the local police soon after they came to know about it. The annual jatra will begin on January 26.
Addressing reporters here on Tuesday, local MLA and former minister UT Khader took serious exception to the posters and urged the police to take suo motu action against the 'miscreants' behind it and also those who printed the poster. He said that he spoke to the temple committee and it distanced itself from the controversial posters.
Stating that such incidents had also taken place during the jatras of some other temples in the region in the past, he said police should put an end to it by swiftly taking action. "People of all communities set up shops during the jatra in Ullal every year. Now, some miscreants are trying to divide the people on religious lines which is not right," he said.
On the scarf row in a government college in Udupi, the former minister said the principal and parents should try to amicably solve the issue. If not, he said there are chances of the girl students discontinuing their education due to the row. "The principal should see the issue as one involving his own daughters. It can't be solved through politics and hate. The parents should take special interest in finding a solution to the face-off," he said.