Bababudangiri shrine, a place of worship according to sufi traditions, has been the object of attack by the Sangh Parivar in an attempt to communalise the
political climate of Karnataka.

Last year, the Bababudangiri Souharda Vedike was formed as a platform to uphold communal harmony in Karnataka, to save the Bababudangir shrine from hindutva attack and to build up a movement of 'aggressive secularism' in Karnataka.

Each year, in December, the Sangh Parivar organises Datta Jayanthi celebrations which unleashes communal frenzy in the town of Chikmagalur - a step in their plans to 'liberate' the Sufi shrine. Last year, Pravin Togadia and again this
year Ananth Kumar, the president of Karnataka BJP, declared that Bababudangiri is the "ayodhya of the south' - a clear statement of their communal intentions.

This year the Bababudangiri Souharda Vedike had demanded that the Karnataka government should ban the Shobhayatra and the public meetings in Chikmagalur and Bababudangiri organised by the Sangh Parivar on 7th & 8th December. The
state government did not agree to the demand and gave permission to the Sangh Parivar to conduct its programme 'in a peaceful manner'. In fact, the Law Minister, Mr. Chandre Gowda had clearly stated that the government cannot ban
any public meeting until and unless it becomes a law and order problem.

The Bababudangiri Souharda Vedike had announded that on the same days (7th & 8th), it will hold parallel programmes in Chikmagalur to protest against the Sangh Parivar's plans regarding Bababudangiri. While the government gave permission to the Sangh Parivar, it refused to give permission to the Vedike programme.

Yesterday (6th December) the government started making preventive arrests of key activists of the Bababudangiri Souharda Vedike. Today (7th December) around 500 activists reached Chikmagalur, evading strict police vigil. Many hundreds, including Girish Karnad, were stopped on their way
to the town.

After the activists reached the venue of the protest meeting, all those who had gathered there were declared to be under arrest by the police. As soon as the meeting started, the police came and picked up all the 500
activists and arrested them. All the activists are now lodged in a jail near Chikmagalur.

This attitude of the government has exposed the 'soft-hindutva' attitude of the Congress government in Karnataka. It is not surprising that the Law Minister,
Mr. Chandre Gowda, himself participated in last year's Datta Jayanthi celebrations organised by Sangh Parivar. If the communal frenzy unleashed by the hindutva activists doesn't create 'law and order' problem, how can a gathering which wants to uphold communal harmony and protect the secular
characted of the society become a 'law and order' problem for the state ? Is this anything but bowing down to the whims and wishes of the saffron brigade ?

We request all of you to strongly condemn the pro-communal attitude of the Congress government in Karnataka by preventing the protest gathering and arresting secular & progressive activists.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BABABUDANGIRI SOUHARDA VEDIKE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------