Members of Sri Ram Sene, a right-wing Hindu group, vandalised at least four pushcarts belonging to Muslims near the Sri Nuggikeri Hanumantha temple, in Karnataka’s Dharwad district, on Saturday.
This comes after some Hindu outfits in Karnataka, including the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Sri Rama Sene demanded a boycott against Muslim fruit sellers who have "dominated the business".
The video of the incident was posted by several users on social media where men with saffron scarves can be seen destroying watermelons and other fruits.
Social media users lashed out at the government and administration for not taking any action against the accused and allowing such incidents to happen.
Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, H D Kumaraswamy, condemned the incident and urged the government to immediately file a criminal case against those involved in the heinous act.
The BJP government in the State had earlier backed the restrictions on Muslim traders at temple fairs citing the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act 2002.
Karnataka is continuously witnessing hatred against the community in the past few months. The state has been a subject of controversy starting from the hijab ban which was then followed by boycott of halal meat and Muslim traders at temples, and it recently witnessed a call for ban on loudspeakers in mosques too.
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