A week after BJP MLA Harish Poonja delivered a provocative speech at an event held at a temple in Thekkaru in Karnataka’s communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district, the temple management wrote to the members of the Muslim community in the village expressing regret about the remarks made by the legislator.
The management of Thekkaru Temple, under the Gopalkrishna Bhatrabail Devaragudde Seva Trust, held a meeting with Muslim leaders of the village recently. Following the meeting, representatives of the temple wrote to the Muslim Okkoota of the village, saying that words by the legislators had hurt some members of the village.
“The management committee of the temple regrets these words. Along with this, the committee welcomes the cooperation of your community. In the future too, we hope that all communities live by cooperating with each other,” the letter issued by the temple management, dated May 7, read.
The letter was in response to the Muslim Okkoota, which had written to the temple management about Poonja’s speech on May 3, following which a meeting was held between the leaders from both communities. During the meeting, it was noted that members of the Muslim community had offered donations and provided a parking facility for devotees taking part in the temple renovation event, apart from other assistance.
Poonja delivered the controversial speech on the evening of May 3, days after the coastal Dakshina Kannada district witnessed communal tensions following two murders in Mangaluru. While speaking at the temple event, the two-time MLA from Belthangady constituency in the district objected to the temple management inviting Muslim residents of the village to the event at the local mosque.
In a speech delivered in Tulu, a language spoken in a few coastal districts of Karnataka, he claimed they had broken tube lights and stolen diesel from generators meant for illumination during the event. In a clip of the speech, Poonja is heard saying, “Our biggest mistake is taking everyone together in harmony. What was the need for us to go to the mosque and give an invitation? Since you gave the invitation, they broke the tube lights … We should not do a balancing act. We are Hindus and should remain so.”
Following this, multiple complaints were filed against the Bharatiya Janata Party leader at various police stations in the Dakshina Kannada district. Poonja was accused of promoting enmity between the Hindu and Muslim communities, and legal action was sought against him.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com.