With only two weeks left for the State government to submit its stand on the title of Guru Dattatreya Bababudan Swami Dargah atop Bababudangiri in Chikkamagaluru, the BJP has begun efforts to influence the government’s stand.
A delegation of BJP MLAs from Chikkamagaluru, C.T. Ravi and D.N. Jeevaraj, also at the forefront of the Datta Mala Abhiyan, met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday and members of the Cabinet sub-committee formed to take a call on the issue. A group of seers were also present. The delegation argued that the only permanent solution to the dispute was to resolve it as per the revenue and muzrai records of the disputed site.
Mr. Ravi told The Hindu that the government had a chance to resolve the dispute permanently. “With all documents, I have conveyed to Mr. Siddaramaiah that the Dargah and Datta Peetha are two separate structures located in different places,” he claimed, threatening to “continue with the struggle” of their demand to declare the shrine “a place of worship for Hindus”.
The Supreme Court, hearing the petition filed by Syed Gouse Mohiuddin Shah Khadri, the hereditary administrator of the cave shrine, on March 27, gave directions to the State government to file its submission in six weeks. The government constituted a cabinet sub-committee under the chairmanship of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T.B. Jayachandra to come up with recommendations.
Asked if the district administration would hold a meeting of all concerned, G. Satyavati, Deputy Commissioner of Chikkamagaluru, said the Cabinet sub-committee would hold the meetings. Going by the court’s verdict, the government has to submit its stand by May 8.
Meanwhile, petitioner Shah Khadri said he had no plans to take a delegation to the government to present his side.
