Aland gets tense as Union Minister leads mob to dargah defying prohibitory orders

Union Minister Bhagawanth Khuba, along with other BJP leaders, led a right-wing mob to offer ‘purification’ puja to Shiv ling in dargah on the day a sandal (sandalwood) procession and Shab-e-Barat were supposed to be held by dargah authorities

A large number of right-wing activists, including members of the ruling BJP and the Sri Ram Sena, gathered in Aland on March 1 despite Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code being in force in the town in Kalaburagi district in the backdrop of Sri Ram Sena’s scheduled ‘purification’ puja to be offered to Raghava Chaitanya Shivalinga in Ladle Mashak Dargah, and insisted on being allowed to enter the dargah premises.

On that day, authorities of Ladle Mashak Dargah had planned a sandal procession and Shab-e-Barat, a religious congregation in remembrance of the deceased.

Police and the administration had a tough time dealing with the emotionally charged mob led by Union Minister Bhagawanth Khuba, BJP MLAs Subhash Guttedar, Rajkumar Patil Telkur and Basavaraj Mattimadu, and BJP State vice-president Malikayya Guttedar.

The right-wing activists set off from the residence of Subhash Guttedar, MLA of Aland, and headed towards the dargah. They were stopped by the police near the bus stand in the morning and informed about the prohibitory orders being in force. When their appeals to disperse and leave the town went in vain, the police offered to allow only 10 people to offer puja to the Shivalinga in the dargah premises. However, the leaders did not agree and insisted that the entire mob be allowed inside the dargah premises and sat on a dharna outside the bus stand.

On the other side, a large number of Muslims gathered near the dargah and attempted to break the barricades while questioning the authorities for ‘applying prohibitory orders only to Muslims and not to right-wing activists’. They also opposed the authorities’ decision to allow 10 people from the right-wing organisations to offer puja in the dargah premises.

Some incidents of pelting stones and damaging vehicles were reported. The vehicles of the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and Assistant Commissioner were damaged.

As tempers were frayed, shopkeepers and traders closed their business establishments. The local transport system came to a halt. Most of the residents remained indoors. Mahashivaratri celebrations were not visible in the town.