BJP leaders among others detained for attempting to take out 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' march

Mysuru (Karnataka), Sep 9 (PTI) BJP leaders and Hindu Jagarana Vedike members among others who were taken into preventive custody by the police when they attempted to take out 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' march on Tuesday, police said.

Among those detained included -- MLA TS Srivathsa and former Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, they said.

According to the police, the protesters, who gathered in large numbers at Kurubarahalli Circle on Chamundi Hill road, were stopped when they tried to take out the match to Chamundeshwari temple atop the hill.

The police, which had already denied permission to hold the rally, citing the sensitivity of the situation and law and order issues, took the protesters into preventive custody.

Similarly, members of the Dalit Mahasabha who also attempted to take out a match to counter the 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' protest were also stopped and taken into preventive custody, they said.

A call for the 'Chamundi Hill Chalo' march was given by the Hindu Jagarana Vedike to protest against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's recent statement claiming that Chamundi Hill in Mysuru, which houses the famous Chamundeshwari temple, was not the property of Hindus alone.

Shivakumar made the statement reacting to the opposition to the government invite extended to International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the world-famous 'Mysuru Dasara - 2025' celebrations this year, atop Chamundi Hills on September 22. PTI AMP KH