Row over cross, mosque painted on Karnataka temple walls, BJP targets Congress

Local Hindu youths objected to the depiction of religious symbols associated with other faiths on the temple wall and demanded action against those responsible.Cross and mosque painted on the Karnataka temple wallImages of a red cross and a mosque painted in green on the compound wall of the Arakeshwara Temple in Mysuru district have triggered objections from residents and drawn sharp criticism from the opposition BJP.Local Hindu youths objected to the depiction of religious symbols associated with other faiths on the temple wall and demanded action against those responsible, alleging that the paintings hurt the sanctity of the religious site. The temple, a prominent religious centre in the region, recently underwent renovation.Following the objections and protests, the local land revenue officer, Surendra Murthy, visited the temple and inspected the site. The administration subsequently initiated action to remove the paintings from the wall.A case has been registered in the local police station against Arathi, the temple's parupatyegara (person in charge of temple administration), and a man named Vinay, who allegedly painted the symbols. Police are investigating the matter and have taken precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incidents on the temple premises. BJP SLAMS CONGRESS GOVERNMENTKarnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra condemned the painting of religious symbols associated with other faiths within the temple premises, alleging that the act violated Hindu traditions and undermined the sanctity of a sacred centre of Sanatana Dharma.In a post on X, Vijayendra called the incident an act of arrogance and accused the Congress government of insensitivity towards Hindu religious traditions. "The conduct of officials who have attempted to override the rituals, traditions and practices of Hindu temples in the name of religious harmony, coupled with the silence of this Tughlaq government on the issue, amounts to a betrayal of devotees' sentiments," he said, adding that the incident had exposed what he called the government's hypocrisy.Questioning why such acts were being imposed on Hindu religious spaces, Vijayendra asked Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to ensure appropriate action against those responsible.He warned that if the government failed to act against what he described as provocative acts, people might be forced to take matters into their own hands."Harmony is a principle that must apply equally to all religions. Ever since the Congress government came to power, there have been continued attempts to disregard Sanatana traditions and the religious rights of devotees," he claimed.Vijayendra said removing the symbols was not enough and demanded an immediate investigation, the arrest of those responsible and strict legal action."Such arrogance, which plays with the religious beliefs of people, is unforgivable," he added.R ASHOKA QUESTIONS AUTHORISATIONLeader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R Ashoka, also criticised the Congress government over the incident, questioning who had authorised the paintings on the temple wall."Shame on CM Shivakumar and Home Minister Priyank Kharge. Why are mosque and cross symbols being painted within the sacred precincts of the historic Arakeshwara Temple? Who passed this government order? Who authorised this? Would the Congress government ever permit Trishuls or Om symbols to be painted inside a mosque or a church?" he asked.Ashoka said Hindu temples deserved respect and protection, adding that any decision affecting sacred spaces required transparency, sensitivity and accountability."No government should take Hindu sentiments for granted. The Hindus of Karnataka deserve answers. Those responsible must be held accountable," he said.- Ends