Security beefed up in Karnataka's Srirangapatna over VHP's call for puja at mosque

Mandya, June 4

Security has been heightened in Srirangapatna, the erstwhile capital of 18th century ruler Tipu Sultan in the district, following Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) call to perform puja at the Jamia mosque, claiming that it was built after razing a Hanuman temple.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the temple town under Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent any protest or procession from taking place.

Besides district police force, contingents of Karnataka State Reserved Police have also been deployed. The roads have been barricaded and security pickets erected in the town.

Wearing saffron scarves and holding saffron flags, the Bajrang Dal and VHP activists on motorcycles raised ‘Jai Sri Ram’ slogans. Fearing a backlash, many shopkeepers around the shrine downed shutters for the day.

Members of fringe Hindu outfits have called for a protest march to the mosque.

However, authorities have denied permission for it.

State Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has given directions to the police to take all measures to ensure peace and public order in view of the VHP’s ‘Srirangapatna Chalo’ campaign.

Meanwhile, Sriram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik condemned the restrictions.

“There is a Ganapati temple, a temple tank and a well inside the mosque. Despite all these, the mosques running madrassas and offering namaz there is wrong. It is ‘they’ who should be stopped. I condemn the BJP government which is trying to stop our protest,” Muthalik told reporters in Kalaburagi on Saturday.

The right-wing organisations have been claiming that the Jamia mosque was an Anjaneya temple, which Tipu Sultan had destroyed to build a mosque in its place.

The outfits have submitted a memorandum to the district authorities seeking a survey of the mosque, saying steps be taken to return the ‘Anjaneya temple’ to Hindus if their claim was found true.