VHP and BD Demand Action against Police for Stopping Mahashivaratri Puja at Kavoor
Mangaluru: “On March 4, Mahashivaratri was celebrated all over the country, during Shivaratri it is customary to hold Puja and vigil overnight. Accordingly, the vigil was held in various Temples in Mangaluru. But in Kavoor, the Kavoor police came to the temple and forcibly stopped the Puja which the VHP and Bajrang Dal strongly condemn. We demand the police commissioner, DC and the Home Minister to take stringent action against the police who entered the Temple and stopped the Mahapuja,” said the Zone secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Sharan Pumpwell in a press meet held at the VHP office Kadri here on March 5.
Addressing the mediapersons Sharan Pumpwell said, “Mahashivaratri is celebrated in a grand manner every year throughout the country. On March 4, the Shivaratri Puja, Bhajans, Yakshagana and religious programmes were held at the Mahalingeshwar Temple in Kavoor and Pandeshwar Temple. Around 11:30 pm, the police came to the Mahalingeshwar Temple, Kavoor and forced the organizers to stop the Bhajans and Puja. Earlier too when the journalists had organized Yakshagana the Hall administration in Urwa had snatched the mike. This is not the first time Hindus are stopped from holding religious programmes. Why is there discrimination against Hindus? Why are the police not entering the Mosque during any programmes they hold and stop it? Who gave the right to the police to stop our religious programme? We are deeply hurt by the treatment meted out against Hindus. We demand the Police commissioner take stringent action against the Police involved in forcibly stopping the religious programme in the Temple.”
When asked about the reason to stop the programme, Sharan said, “The police said that they had received a complaint from the residents in that area of noise pollution. Shivaratri comes once a year and we hold the vigil to mark the Mahashivaratri. When the police stopped the Puja, the devotees opposed it. Later the police allowed us to continue our programme.”
Shivanand Mendon said, “I am residing in Pandeshwar from the past 40 years and I attend the Mahashivaratri Puja in Pandeshwar Mahalingeshwara Temple. But this is the first time the police have entered the temple to stop the programme. We condemn such interference of the police in our religious programme. We demand the police commissioner take action against the police. For the new year people enjoy loud music without any problems,” he said.
Gopal Kuthar, Punith, Bhujang Kulal and Praveen Kuthar were also present.