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Hindu Groups Protest Muslim IAS Officer’s Name on Temple Invite

‘We are not against the DC coming to the temple as a guest, but he should not be a host.’

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An invite for the annual temple festival in Sri Mahalingeshwar temple in Puttur, Karnataka has sparked outrage among the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal. The groups have objected to the invite and demanded a reprint as it carried the name of AB Ibrahim, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner’s name as a host.

The controversy arose because the DC is Muslim. In an interview with CNN-IBN, Ibrahim claims he had previously done a lot for the temple but people did not object his Muslim name or culture then.

‘We are not against the DC coming to the temple as a guest, but he should not be a host.’
Deputy Commissioner AB Ibrahim. (Photo Courtesy: Tulunadu News’ Website)
My name was on many temple invites before in the same region and this is not the first time. In the past two years, I have held more than 25 meetings with many temple authorities in the region. 
AB Ibrahim, DC

‘This is Protocol’

As per state government protocol for the DC to overlook all the government programmes in the region, Ibrahim had his name printed on the invitation card.

What the DC of Mangalore Ibrahim has done is perfectly correct. He has just followed the rules of the Muzrai department. The state government is fully behind him and there is no question of removing his name just because some fanatic elements demand that.
TB Jayachandra, Karnataka Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Higher Education Minister
‘We are not against the DC coming to the temple as a guest, but he should not be a host.’
Sri Mahalingeshwar temple. (Photo: Sri Mahalingeshwar temple’s website)
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‘Against Endowment Act’

A report in the the Deccan Chronicle says that the local VHP demands the reprinting of the invitation card without DC Ibrahim’s name. Ibrahim is allegedly named as a host which, according to the Sangh Parivar, goes against the endowment act wherein a non-Hindu cannot be involved in temple affairs.

We do not want a Muslim to invite devotees to the temple. This is a clear violation of  the  Endowment Act which says a non- Hindu cannot be involved in the temple’s affairs. We are not against the DC coming to the temple as a guest, but he should not be a host.
Jagadish Shenava, VHP leader and advocate

Shakunthala Shetty, a local Congress MLA backed up VHP. Shetty has allegedly asked officials to ‘settle the problem’.

I am not giving in to pressure from saffron outfits. But I do not want any confusion during the celebrations.  I have asked officials to get a new invitation card printed. If they don’t I will myself have the new cards printed without mentioning the Deputy Commissioner’s name.
Shakunthala Shettya, MLA

Bureaucrats claim this is the first time a controversy like this is taking place in Karnataka. Previously, non-Hindu bureaucrats have faced no such discrimination based on their religion.

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