“After examining the developments in the last five years, 18 conditions have been laid down for this year,” Deputy Commissioner Naveenraj Singh told reporters on Tuesday.

As per the conditions, the yatra should pass through the specified route between 4 and 6 pm. Only those wearing the Datta mala will be allowed to participate in the procession.

In the respective taluks, the local leaders wearing Datta mala will be part of the procession, which will be recorded on video. Provocative slogans and banners have been prohibited, as are firecrackers.

“Anybody can offer prayers at Sri Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swamy dargah as per the High Court order and no homas or meetings can be held. Last year, though special arrangements were made for the prasada, devotees did not make use of it. But the same arrangements have been made this year as well,” the DC said.
Arrangements have been made to maintain law and order, and the people of the district need not have any fears, he said, adding he believed the procession would proceed peacefully.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made. As many as 3,000 policemen, including 2,000 civil policemen, Home Guards, 15 platoons of State armed reserve police and three platoons of paramilitary force - will be deployed from October 24 to 26.
With the procession having been peaceful over the last few years, the number of police personnel deployed has been reduced this year. But it isn’t good to be overconfident in this regard, said Vipul Kumar, SP.
Bajrang Dal has welcomed the permission granted to hold the Yatra.

“The district administration has merely laid down the same rules the Bajrang Dal has imposed upon itself to ensure the procession is peaceful,” State convener  Mahendra Kumar said.

The Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike has condemned the district administration’s decision saying it appears the administration has colluded with the Sangh Parivar by allowing the Sankirtana Yatra to be organised.


‘BAN PROCESSIONS’

Bangalore, dhns: Many people’s organisations on Tuesday held demonstrations in front of the Town Hall in Bangalore, demanding that the Governor ban public functions or processions at Datta Peetha in Chikmagalur during Datta Jayanthi.

Holding banners and placards, the organisations protested in front of the Town Hall. They demanded that the Karnataka government stop RSS from flaring up communal passion in the communally sensitive area of Chikmagalur district during Datta Jayanthi. The organisations decided that they would submit a memorandum to the Governor on his return to Bangalore.

The state president of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) Nagaraj, state chief of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) Naveen Kumar, state president of the Samatha Sainik Dal Venkataswamy, state general secretary Lakshmi, vice-president Vimala and district secretary Gowramma of the Kanawadi Mahila Sanghatane participated in the demonstration.