Date:08/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/08/stories/2007010816630300.htm

Karnataka - Mysore

Tension at Gandhi Square

Staff Correspondent

Federation opposes holding of `Viraat Hindu Samavesha'

MYSORE: Tension prevailed for some time at Gandhi Square here on Sunday when activists of the Sangh Parivar protested against a demonstration by members of the Federation of Progressive Associations opposing the "Viraat Hindu Samavesha".

Threat

Writers, thinkers and rationalists, who organised the demonstration, said holding such a convention would be a threat to secularism.

When members of the federation, including Vedanta Hemmige, Lingadevaru Halmani, Lata, Muddukrishna, M.N. Javaraiah, Purnananda, K.N. Shivatheerthan, H.L. Keshavamurthy, Srinivas, Prabhakar and Jagannath, assembled at Gandhi Square and staged a silent demonstration by putting up white flags, a few activists of the Sangh Parivar objected to the removal of saffron flags from the area and raised slogans.

Leaders of the Sangh Parivar Prem Kumar and B.P. Manjunath told presspersons that they were not against the demonstration by members of the federation, but were against their act of removing saffron flags.