Datta peeta row: Bajrang Dal to stage 'Vidhan Soudha chalo'

Mangalore, September 23: Bajrang Dal has planned a Vidhan Soudha chalo agitation on October 1 to exert pressure on the State government to fulfill its demands of installing Datta Paduke and following Hindu rituals at Bababudangiri.

Divisional convener of Bajrang Dal Praveen Khandya told media persons in Chikmagalur that Datta Jayanthi would be observed on December 27 and 28. The members will wear Dattamale on the day of 'Skanda panchami.'

He said, the members of Bajrang Dal will go to Kadur by bus and take a train to reach Yeshwanthpur. From Yeshwanthpur, the members will walk to Vidhan Soudha. A memorandum will be submitted to Chief Minister Jagadeesh Shettar, Muzrai Minister Srinivas Poojary, and District-in-Charge Minister D N Jeevraj to impress upon them on the need for the Datta Paduke.

With Vidhan Soudha chalo, Bajrang Dal will begin its fight for a solution to 'Datta peeta' row. The roof of the cave has collapsed four years ago. Though the work on the repair has been completed four months ago, the district administration has failed to install Paduke at the cave. “We have submitted to memorandum to the district administration to reinstall the paduke at the cave 15 times in the past. As the district administration has failed to respond to our needs, we are forced to hold Vidhan Soudha chalo,” he said. The district administration has stopped distribution of prasadam to the devotees during Datta Jayanthi and Dattamale celebrations.

He said that the Chief Minister will be urged to appoint a public prosecutor to fight a case in connection with Datta peeta in the Supreme Court.