The police are keeping vigil in MK Hubli of Belagavi district after threats of a protest by some Hindutva activists saying that they will unfurl a saffron flag in a public place.
Calls for the protest were made in a social media campaign being carried out by some right wing activists. They created images of a saffron flag fluttering from a flagpole built in the middle of the road near a Hanuman temple. They were shared with messages saying, “MK Hubli Chalo” and “Let us hoist Hanuma flag in MK Hubli”.
However, no protests were held on Sunday. Around 200 police personnel are camping in the town. The police said that the situation is tense but under control.
Superintendent of Police Bheemashankar Guled told journalists that they are keeping strict vigil to ensure that no untoward incidents happen.
“It is a peaceful town where people of various religions live harmoniously. However, some miscreants created problems by posting provocative messages on social media. We will take preventive and pro- active measures to see that law and order is not disturbed,” he said.
“We urge people not to believe in such rumours. I warn all social media users not to act in an irresponsible manner while posting messages. On two occasions in the past, we booked cases against some miscreants who created problems by posting social media messages. We will continue to do so if needed,” he said.
He said that the saffron flag, including other flags in the town, were removed as per Supreme Court directions against such things in public places and that those responsible for putting up those flags had not obtained permission from the proper authorities.
This campaign is in response to an action taken by the police and Town Panchayat officers of removing around 11 flags that were hoisted in public places without due permits. This followed an accidental fall of a flagpole in the village on January 27.
Meanwhile, Town Panchayat officers are considering an application by some residents and Town Panchayat members to hoist a Hanuma flag on a flagpost near the temple. The flagpost has been recently repaired. The dilapidated temple is being reconstructed.
Town Panchayat Chief Officer Ravi Bagalkot said that he has received the application seeking permission to hoist a flag on the flagpost. “We will process the application as per law,” he said.
Mugat Khan (MK) Hubli, named after a 19th century Sufi saint, is known for its syncretic culture. Saint Mugat Khan had settled down in this town. He was a native healer. His resting place is built by a Mumbai- based Maratha family and it attracts devotees from all faiths in large numbers. His annual urs is celebrated for three days.
MK Hubli is also among the few towns in the State that have a memorial built around an urn with the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi. The small marble cubicle lies on the service road besides the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, on the outskirts of the town.
