Karnataka: Hindutva organization vandalizes the carts of Muslims selling fruits in the temple premises

Hindutva activists of an organization called Shri Ram Sena on Saturday ransacked stalls (carts/shops) owned by Muslims in Dharwad, Karnataka and destroyed fresh fruits and vegetables loaded in the carts.

According to Deccan Herald, the latest incident of anti-Muslim violence took place in the Nuggikeri Anjaneya temple complex.

Journalist Harish Upadhyay has tweeted a video from the spot, in which watermelons are seen lying on the road.

Muslim push cart vendors targeted outside Hanuman Temple in Dharwad. Sri Ram Sene members vandalize & destroy watermelon & other fruits.Ram Sene says #Muslim vendors shouldn't do business outside temples. Cops present at the location did nothing to stop the vandalism #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/gu0pCjt0lj

— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 9, 2022

Upadhyay has tweeted that the police present on the spot did not take any step to stop this sabotage.

In the video, Hindutva activists, who can be identified by their saffron scarves, can be heard telling a policeman that he had warned Muslim vendors. On which the policeman said that he could have informed the police.

What was the state doing? How brazen are these goons? Watch this video.

Sene guy: We had given them an ultimatum to remove, they didn't even after 2 weeks. All these belong to Muslims
Cop: You should have given us an intimation
Sene guy: We have intimated everyone pic.twitter.com/AAVyUsTUEW

— Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 9, 2022

Sri Ram Sena had set a ‘time limit’ 15 days ago to evict Muslim vendors from the temple management body.

So, Saturday’s action was the result of that threat. Muslim shopkeepers who spoke to Deccan Herald said they have never been asked to vacate the premises in the last 15 years.

A member of the temple’s management committee has said that 99 per cent of the stalls in the temple are Hindus and these are usually given to the poor.

Let us tell you that this action of the Hindutva group has come to the fore when another Hindutva leader, Chandru Mogar, the coordinator of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti of Bangalore, had appealed to the Hindus to end the monopoly of the Muslims in the fruit business. Buy fruits only from Hindu shopkeepers.

This is a renewed call for economic boycott of Muslims by Hindutva groups after they demanded a ban on the use of loudspeakers during halal meat and azaan in mosques.