Karnataka to await High Court verdict on Dattatreya Shrine

The Times of India
Karna to await HC verdict on Dattatreya Shrine
PTI [ MONDAY, JULY 26, 2004 04:12:53 PM ]
BANGALORE: Karnataka government on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly they would await the verdict of the High Court on the issue of Hindu priests performing pooja at the Datta Peeta, a shrine in Chikmagalur District where Hindus and Muslims offer worship.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs M P Prakash answering to Sunil Kumar (BJP) during question hour said as per the tradition Muzawars perform poojas in the shrine and a petition demanding appointment of Hindu priests was pending before the state High Court.

The shrine symbolies harmony between Hindus and Muslims and the previous government during 2003 had appointed a six-member official committee to manage the affairs of the shrine.

Prakash said the government would not tolerate any attempt to vitiate the communal harmony in the shrine. However, Sunil and some BJP members dissatisifed by the reply stormed into the well to stage dharna, demanding the Hindu priests be allowed to perform pooja.

Speaker Krishna, expressing his unhappiness, criticised the tendency of members rushing into the well and asked BJP leaders to control their members.