The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Allow Datta Jayanti celebrations, says BJP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Allow Datta Jayanti celebrations, says BJP

Special Correspondent

Party delegation submits memorandum to Governor for celebrations ‘according to Hindu traditions’

Governor invited to take part in festivities planned from December 21 to 23
Permanent solution sought to ongoing controversy over Bababudangiri

BANGALORE: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday appealed to Governor Rameshwar Thakur to allow Datta Jayanti celebrations to be held “according to Hindu traditions” as they were prior to 2004 at the Datta Peetha atop Bababudangiri in Chikmagalur district.

A BJP delegation led by State party secretary C.T. Ravi not only asked that the district administration and the Muzrai Department organise the Datta Jayanti celebrations but also invited the Governor to take part in the festivities on December 23. According to Mr. Ravi, no court has barred the celebration of Datta Jayanti according to Hindu traditions.

‘Puja was allowed’

He maintained that puja was allowed at the Datta Peetha till the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government was formed in 2004. He said that the then Law Minister, D.B. Chandre Gowda, had taken part in the rituals when S. M. Krishna was the Chief Minister in 2000.

Mr. Ravi said the three-day festivities would begin at the Datta Peetha from December 21 with Anasuyadevi Jayanti. A Shobha Yatra would be held the next day, and the celebrations would come to an end on December 23 with the Datta Jayanti. More than 10,000 devotees would take part in the celebrations this time, he said and requested the Governor to give permission for taking out the Shobha Yatra.

In the memorandum, Mr. Ravi appealed to the Governor to direct the district administration not to impose sweeping restrictions on the observation of Datta Jayanti.

‘Dampener’

Mr. Ravi alleged that in the name of maintaining the peace, the district administration was imposing unwarranted conditions, which were “dampening the spirit of devotees”.

He urged the Governor to strive to find a permanent solution to the controversy.

He said “an organisation, which is sympathetic to the naxal movement in Chikmagalur district but has no support from the masses, is creating ample confusion on the subject with its tongue power”.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad State secretary B.N. Murthy, several former MLAs and the party’s Bangalore city unit spokesman S. Prakash were present.

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