Tension prevailed in the communally-sensitive coastal district of Dakshina Kannada on Monday as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal called for Hindus to hold a procession on BC Road in Bantwal taluk, near Mangaluru city, on the occasion of Eid Milad.
Police forces rushed to the spot, and a tense situation prevailed in the area.
Hindu activists stated that the procession call was in response to provocative statements made by a Muslim leader, who allegedly challenged Hindu leaders to come to BC Road during the Eid Milad celebrations.
Angered by this, the VHP and Bajrang Dal urged Hindus to gather on BC Road.
As Hindu organisation leaders and workers arrived in large numbers at the Raktheshwari temple in BC Road, Dakshina Kannada SP, N Yathish rushed to the scene, and police reserve platoons were also deployed to the area.
The police, as a precautionary measure, denied permission for the Eid Milad procession to pass through BC Road and provided an alternative route instead.
Hindu workers staged a flash protest, chanting slogans like "Jai Bhajrangi," and "We have come, where are you" while the police attempted to stop them.
Protesters tried to march ahead on BC Road, but the police managed to halt them after considerable effort.
SP Yathish later spoke to the Hindu leaders and attempted to calm the situation. However, they rejected the police's assurance to file a complaint about the provocative statements and demanded more decisive action, expressing frustration over the perceived inaction they had observed over time.
Prasad Kumar, the VHP President of Bantwal, stated that Hindu workers and leaders had gathered on BC Road in response to the call for a protest.
"We decided to stage a protest after accepting the challenge from Muslim leaders," he said.
The tensions were sparked by comments from Mohammad Shareef, former president of Bantwal Municipality Corporation, who had challenged VHP Dakshina Kannada Divisional Joint Secretary Sharan Pumpwell to come to BC Road during Eid Milad.
This was in reaction to Pumpwell's speech about the recent violence during the Ganesh Visarjan in Nagamangala town, Mandya district.
Sharan Pumpwell had stated that if Hindus decide they won't allow the procession on the BC Road.
Although the police have brought the situation under control, the atmosphere in the region remains tense.
(With inputs from IANS)
