BELAGAVI: Tension prevailed for some time at MK Hubballi of Kittur taluk after the police on Sunday stopped a ‘Chalo Bhagava Abhiyan’ rally organised by local Hindu activists to re-hoist a saffron flag again near a Hanuman temple in the town.
The police department had deployed hundreds of policemen all over MK Hubballi town as a precautionary measure, and prohibited the rally, citing that prior permission had not been taken.
Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled, who visited the town, discussed the situation with Chief Executive Officer of MK Hubballi Town Panchayat Ravindra Bagalkoti. He instructed the police staff on the ground to ensure that law and order is maintained. He requested the public too to cooperate with the police.
Last week, an electric wire of a mosque in the town’s Gandhi Nagar area got cut and a flag that had a portrait of Tipu Sultan fell down. The incident occurred late in the night and it led to tension in the town the next day. Suspecting it to be an act of mischief, the police summoned Hindu and Muslim leaders to peace in the town.
Following the incident, the local town panchayat staff had removed all saffron and Islamic flags in the town.
Will take action for provocative messages: SP
The flag near the old Hanuman Mandir at Sambannavar Oni in the town too was removed. On Sunday, Hindu activists had planned to rehoist the flag near the Hanuman temple and had appealed to the people through social media to take part in the rally.
After the rally was stopped, the Hindu activists submitted a memorandum to the local town panchayat chief, asking him to allow them to hoist the flag again. Dr Guled said,
“The villagers have appealed for the restoration of the flag. We respect their sentiments. We will follow the order taken by the local town panchayat and government. Appropriate legal action will be taken against those who spread provocat ive messages through social media.”
