The Dakshina Kannada Beedibadi Vyaparasta Shreyobhivrudhi Sangha has accused Endowment Department administered Kudupu Anantapadmanabha Temple of not allotting stalls to Muslim vendors, that are coming up outside the temple during the six-day ‘Shasti Mahotsava’, which commences from December 14.
In a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan, Sangha president B.K. Imtiyaz on Thursday, December 7, said a group threatened the temple authorities that there would be a disturbance if stalls were allotted to Muslim traders. Consequently, the authorities did not allot stalls to Muslim traders, he alleged.
He asked the district administration to intervene and permit poor Muslim traders to eak out a living by having their stalls during the six-day fair. Mr. Imtiyaz also demanded disciplinary action against persons responsible for this denial, Mr. Imtiyaz said.
G. Santosh Kumar, Additional DC, who received the memorandum, said he has sought a report from the temple authorities.
Old practice
The Kudupu temple is among the 44 “A” Grade temples with an annual income of over ₹25 lakh in Dakshina Kannada. Shasti Mahotsava is held in Subrahmanya temples including in Kukke Subrahmanya and Kudupu.
An endowment department official said around 40 stalls come up for the Shasti mahotsava at Kudupu — 20 on Car Street on the temple premises and 20 outside the temple, off Mangaluru-Moodbidri NH.
As per the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, stalls were allotted to Hindus inside the premises. Concerning stalls outside the temple, the temple has continued with the tradition of auctioning the space to the highest bidder, who, in turn, allows space to vendors. “We have selected the bidder and he has allotted space. The temple has no say in allotment of stalls outside the temple,” the official said.
Following a section of traders questioning the practice of auctioning the space outside the temple to a single bidder, Mangaladevi Temple, another Endowment department administered temple, following orders by then-in-charge Deputy Commissioner K. Anandh, held an open auction to allow each of the 93 spaces, off the temple Car Street, outside the temple, during the Navaratri festival in October.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists had then put out saffron flags outside the stalls operatd by Hindu vendors and asked Hindus to deal only with them. This had no effect as people freely traded in the stalls owned by Hindus and Muslims.
Published - December 07, 2023 08:35 pm IST
