Ban on Muslim traders in temples: Karnataka government keeps distance, cites rules

Madhuswamy said the government will examine whether the ban applied to the premises of the religious institutions or outside of it

Karnataka Law Minister J C Madhuswamy told the Assembly on Wednesday that the government cannot interfere in the ban on Muslim traders when it comes to them setting up shops or stalls on the premises of Hindu shrines.

Madhuswamy was replying to a heated debate over the issue of Muslim traders being banned from participating in Hindu religious fairs in coastal Karnataka.

Madhuswamy said the government will examine whether the ban was applied inside the premises of the religious institutions or outside of it.

"As per the The Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments Act and Rules that were framed in 2002, it is prohibited to lease out the space near a Hindu religious institution to a person of another faith. If these recent incidents of banning Muslim traders have occurred outside the premises of the religious institutions, we will rectify. Otherwise, as per norms, no other community is allowed to set up shop on the premises," Madhuswamy said.

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He pointed out that the rules were made when the Congress was in power.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, too, assured to look into the issue by examining the applicability of the rules.

The issue was raised by Congress lawmakers U T Khader and Rizwan Arshad in Zero Hour. They urged the government to take action against "miscreants" who were involved in distributing pamphlets and putting up banners prohibiting Muslim roadside vendors from setting up shop at local religious fairs.

"The government must uphold the dignity of roadside vendors as they work hard to fend for their families. Certain miscreants are trying to create a discord between communities. In many instances, Hindu brethren have themselves put a stop to such propaganda. However, the police are mute spectators," Khader said, urging the government to put an end to such practices and act against those involved.

Arshad, too, raised concerns and appealed to the government to protect the constitutional rights of the minority community.

Pandemonium prevailed when Khader said people who are putting up banners and posters calling for a ban on Muslim traders as "cowards". Khader's use of the word "cowards" caused agitation among BJP lawmakers.

Some BJP MLAs alleged that their Congress lawmakers were condemning incidents selectively. "It is the Congress that did vote-bank politics all these years," CM's political secretary MP Renukacharya said.

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