Three Muslim traders decide not to put up stalls in Kollur

They withdraw after being told about the representation made by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad

Muslim traders have not put up stalls for the three-day Kollur Mookambika Temple annual fair, which commenced on Friday.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists on Tuesday had submitted a memorandum to Kollur Gram Panchayat asking it not to permit non-Hindus from putting up their stalls in the panchayat area.

K. Shivaram Krishna Bhat, president of the Kollur Gram Panchayat, told The Hindu that stalls for the fair come up in the area outside the temple premises under the limits of the panchayat.

“There is no order from the State Government not to allow non-Hindus to put up their stalls outside the temple,” he said.

Mr. Bhat said that three Muslim traders, who regularly put up stalls during the temple fair, had come forward to put up their stalls this year also. “We had no objections to it. But we told them about the representation made by the VHP. Later, those three traders themselves decided against putting up their stalls with a view to prevent a likely law and order problem,” he said.

Mr. Bhat also said that with licensed traders operating outside the temple, only a few traders come forward to put up stalls during the annual temple fair and Navaratri Utsava.