Date:22/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/22/stories/2007042219210400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Vedike opposes Dattapoojana Samiti meeting

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: A Komu Souharda Vedike delegation met Home Minister M.P. Prakash on Thursday and demanded that the Government take stringent action against those who were "misinterpreting" the recent High Court order on the Bababudangiri issue.

Memorandum

In a memorandum submitted to the Minister, the Vedike, which is a forum against communalism, took exception to a meeting called by Dattapoojana Samiti in Bangalore on April 22 to discuss the Datta worship-related rituals inside the Bababudangiri cave.

The Bharatiya Janata Party Minister and Mangalore MLA, B. Nagaraj Shetty, is expected to inaugurate this meeting.

Holding such a meeting, the memorandum said, was a violation of the court order in the light of the fact that the court had only ruled in favour of a fresh public hearing to identify the Hindu rituals performed at the shrine before 1975, but had not given a go-ahead to performing Hindu rituals. The meeting is being organised by B.S. Vittal Rao, the petitioner in the case. The memorandum has been signed by vedike members Gauri Lankesh, K.L. Ashok, Sanat Kumar Belagali and Shivasundar.