BJP MLAs urge party to walk out of Government over Shobha Yatra

Annoyed with the Government for imposing a ban on the Shobha Yatra, which the Sangh Parivar outfits has planned to lead to the disputed hill shrine of Bababudangiri in Chikmagalur later this week, a section of the BJP MLAs have urged the party leadership to walk out of the coalition Government.

Chikmagalur MLA C T Ravi, who wore the Datta Mala or a sacred thread as part of the Datta Mala Abhiyan along with a couple of Bajrang Dal activists at Chikmagalur, said several party MLAs had brought pressure on the senior leadership to secure permission for a “peaceful” Shobha Yatra.

“If the senior leadership of the BJP fails to convince its coalition partner JD (S), the party should come out of the Government rather than sticking to power”, Ravi said.

The BJP MLA, who has been in forefront of the Datta Jayanthi celebrations at Bababudangiri for the last couple of years, said there is no question of compromising on the issue of Shobha Yatra this year.

“The Chief Secretary’s order is an insult to a democratically elected government”, he said.

Ravi came down heavily on the officials for “deliberately misinterpreting” the court orders, which has ruled against permitting new rituals at the disputed shrine. Claiming that the court orders pertain only to the rituals performed at the shrine by the Muslim priest, Ravi said the devotees will take out Shobha Yatra from Chikmagalur to Bababudangir hillock on Octobe 6. “There is no change in our stand on taking out the procession”, he added.

Responding to growing demand for Shobha Yatra from the rank and file of the party and its frontal organizations, BJP’s Minister for Higher Education D H Shankarmurthy said he and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will meet Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in a day or two and sort out the issue amicable. “We will try to obtain permission for a peaceful Shobha Yatra”, Shankarmurthy said.

But, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has already made it clear that the Government will abide by the directions of the High Court, which has banned any ritual at the disputed shrine that was not in vogue prior to 1975.

When his attention was drawn to the aggressive and confrontationist posture adopted by Sangh Parivar activists and a section of the BJP MLAs, Kumaraswamy said the Government will not allow anybody to violate law. “Government will take stern steps against people, who transgress law and foment communal trouble”, he said.

He said his Government would not allow peace and communal harmony in the State to be disturbed at any cost.

Though Datta Jayanthi celebrations are normally held at Bababudangiri shrine during the month of December, the Sangh Parivar has organized Datta Mala Abhiyan this year to mobilize a large number of people for the Datta Jayanthi celebrations.