High Court's firm no to Shobha Yatra

The Karnataka High Court has cautioned thecoalition Government in Karnataka against permittingany new rituals including the controversial ShobhaYatra at the disputed hill shrine of Bababudangiri inChikmagalur district.

A division bench of the High Court comprising ChiefJustice Cyriac Joseph and Justice Ajith Gunjal made itclear that only those rituals that existed prior to1975 should be allowed. The bench was hearing apetition seeking a direction to the Government torestrain the conduct of Shobha Yatra planned by SanghParivar outfits during the first week of October.

The court observed that orders had already been issuedto restrict the rituals to those that existed prior to1975. “There is no need for fresh orders. The previousorder is binding on the Government and law will takeits own course”, the court observed.

The High Court’s observations have come as dampener tothe preparations being made by various saffron outfitsto take out the Shobha Yatra and organize otherrituals like Datta Mala Abhiyan on a massive scale.

Hours before the High Court’s warning against ShobhaYatra and other new rituals came, Bajrang Dal’s stateconvener Mahendra Kumar told reporters in Chikmagalurthat Shobha Yatra will be taken out by thousands ofactivists.

He said more than 30,000 devotees are expected toparticipate in the Datta Peetha celebrations at thehill shrine this year.Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and HinduRashtriya Sena President Pramod Mutalik are alsoexpected to turn up at the disputed hill shrine duringthe Datta Peetha celebrations.

Meanwhile, about 3,000 activists of Karnataka CommunalHarmony Forum held a demonstration in Chikmagalururging the Government not to allow the Sangh Parivartol hold the Shobha Yatra and other rituals at thedisputed hill shrine.

The Forum activists said the Sangh Parivar, backed bythe BJP, which is a partner in the ruling coalition,appears determined to instigate communal tension inthe quiet coffee heartland of Chikmagalur