Karnataka’s Muslim Ban in Temples: A Reaction to Protesting Against Hijab Ban?

In India Muslims are not being allowed to set up their shops during Hindu festivals in the state of Karnataka

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government couldn’t interfere if the Muslim ban was legal.

(Photo: The Quint)

English Script: Mayank Chawla

Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas

In India where Hindus celebrate Eid and make ‘Tazia’ in Muharram, Muslims celebrate Diwali and make Banarasi sarees, whereas Upanishads says ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which translated to English is 'the world is a family’, Muslims are not being allowed to set up their shops during Hindu festivals and fairs in the state of Karnataka.

Similarly, posters were pasted in front of temples in Karnataka barring Muslims to set up their shops for trade and business.

The ruling party in the state, BJP, has backed this decision which ironically talks about ‘Sabka Saath’, ‘Sabka Vikas’ and ‘Sabka Vishwas’. Janab Aise Kaise?

POSTERS BAN MUSLIMS IN HINDU TEMPLES

A poster outside a temple in Mangaluru mentions, ‘Hindus have awakened’. The poster reads, ‘We will not indulge in the act of business with those who don’t respect the law of this land and the constitution. Those who slaughter the animal whom we worship. We will not allow them to carry out business activities here.

Similar bans were reported from Karnataka’s Sri Hosa Marigudi Temple, Kollur’s Mookambika Temple Fair, Mangala Devi Temple and Puttur’s Shree Mahalingeshwar Temple.

The state’s law and education ministers backed the ban instituted by at least six temples. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the government couldn’t interfere if the ban was legal.

In the state assembly, JC Madhuswamy, Karanataka Law Minister, said that according to the Hindu Religious Institutions And Charitable Endowments Act, passed in 2002, it is prohibited to lease out the space near a Hindu religious institution to a person of another faith.

A REACTION TO PROTEST AGAINST HIJAB?

If the law was enacted at least 20 years ago, why wasn’t it enforced until now? Is the recent ban on shops even related to the enforcement of the law?

State Education minister, BC Nagesh said that there is always a ‘reaction for anything’. People of science know that ‘action and reaction are equal and opposite’.

Was he hinting toward the recent protest against the Hijab ban in Karnataka?

Today, in India, in comparison to development, a governance model based on ‘religion’ is widely accepted. Issues related to Muslims, Hijab and Temples form a part of this model.