Delegation meets math seer, urges him to help lift ban on Muslim traders

Delegation meets math seer, urges him to help lift ban on Muslim traders
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Pejavar swamiji says solution should come from within society

Udupi: Muslim traders of Udupi under the banner of Udupi Zilla Sauharda Samiti, led by Haji K Abubakker Athrady, met Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji of Sri Pejavar Mutt and urged him to address the growing communal divide, particularly denial of permission to traders from the minority community to set up stalls during temple festivals and fairs.

Muslim traders, according to Abubakar, make a living by selling wares at temple festivals and religious gatherings. They have an excellent relationship with Hindus and will take care not to upset their feelings, he said and added that it is crucial to spread the message of communal harmony. He urged the seer to take steps to restore communal harmony.

Responding to the plea of the delegation, the Pejavar Mutt seer said the solution should emerge from within the society and religious leaders voicing their opposition to the move is unlikely to help matters. "The Hindu society has suffered a lot in the past. People are extremely hurt due to some unpleasant events. The problem will not solve if a few religious leaders speak against it. It should come from within the society," he explained. The hijab issue also might have led to the boycott of Muslim traders, he observed, adding the root cause of the problem should be addressed.

Later, Mohammed Arif, general secretary of the Federation of Street Vendors and Festival Traders, who was part of the delegation, said, "We are also planning to meet Udupi Deputy Commissioner Kurma Rao and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and urge them to take necessary action to protect the interests of Muslim traders."

Meanwhile, former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy also commented on the issue. "You (Hindu seers) do the job of propagating the messages of Hinduism, which emphasises on 'Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavantu' (Let everyone be happy) and not restricting people not to go to Muslim shops," Kumaraswamy told reporters in Bengaluru. "Karnataka is a garden of racial peace, which no one should spoil," he said. He pointed out that 15 Muslim families in Shivarapatna in Malur taluk of Kolar district have been carving Hindu idols for the past 30 to 40 years.

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