Mysuru police stop 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' protest by Hindu Jagarana Vedike

Counter-march organised by Dalit Mahasabha also stopped

Mysuru: The Mysuru police on Tuesday stopped members of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike and other Hindu organisations from taking out a 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' march. They also stopped members of the Dalit Mahasabha who tried to take out a march to counter the 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' protest.

Members of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike and other organisations had organised the 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' march to protest against the statement of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar that Hindu temples are not the property of only Hindus and also to oppose the invitation extended to International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara, over her 2023 statement on Kannada Bhuvaneshwari.

The group also linked their march to the ongoing developments in the temple town of Dharmasthala.

Meanwhile, members of the Dalit Mahasabha, who tried to take out a march in support of Banu Mushtaq, to counter the 'Chamundi Hill Chalo', were taken into custody.

When the protesters gathered at Kurubarahalli Circle on Chamundi Hill Road on Tuesday morning, to take out a padayatra to the Chamundeshwari temple atop the hill, police personnel took them, including TS Srivathsa, MLA, into custody.

The MLA expressed anger over the police action. He asked, "Why are you arresting people who are on the roadside, even though there are no prohibitory orders?”

However, the police convinced the leaders of both groups that there may be law and order problems, as permission had not been given for either of the protests.

BJP city unit president and former MLA L Nagendra, former Mayor Sandesh Swamy, Sushruth Gowda and other leaders, along with women activists, were taken into custody as a precautionary measure.

Around 500 police personnel from civil, City Armed Reserve, Commando unit, and Chamundi Force have been deployed at Kurubarahalli Circle and around the Chamundi Hill.