'Rituals by Minister, MLA at Dattapeeta is not violation'

He informed that all writs filed against performing poojas during Dattamale and Dattajayanthi have been dismissed by the court. The single bench as well as the two member bench of High Court had dismissed Muzarai Commissioner’s codification of 1989, which was an obstruction to poojas and rituals. Court also had directed Muzarai Commissioner to collect affidavits from devotees with regard to holding rituals, he added.
Devotees and Muzarai Commissioner have to file affidavit against the stay obtained by the Citizens For Peace and Justice from the Supreme Court. The then Deputy Commissioner Gowri Trivedi had stated in his report to the government that there is no objection in conducting poojas outside the cave. Hence the rituals performed by Energy Minister  Eshwarappa, MP D V Sadananda Gowda and MLA C T Ravi is not a violation of Supreme Court directive, Vitalarao clarified.

There were provisions to conduct idol poojas in the codification of 1989. It did not restrict idol installation. There was no restrictions for breaking coconuts and performing arati in the codification, he said. Even the Urdu book ‘Barejak’ published by Shakhadri also make mention about idol worship. The Dattapeeta Samvardhana Samiti has already produced the same book to the courts, he added.

DH News Service