Durga Mata Daud rally was organised by right-wing organisation Hindu Jagran Vedike
A massive rally taken out by a right-wing organisation in BJP-ruled Karnataka on Sunday has stirred a controversy. Around 10,000 participants, many brandishing swords, shouted slogans, even as policemen were seen walking next to them. A minister and an MLA also participated in the rally.
Several people took to social media, demanding action against the rally participants for wielding swords. However, police told NDTV that since no complaint had been made, no action was initiated against the organisers.
When NDTV tried to speak to R Ashok, the Minister for Revenue, about the rally, he dodged the questions.
Udupi district has been in the news for the last one year over communal killings, the hijab ban and ban on Muslim vendors.
Sunday's controversial Durga Mata Daud rally was organised by right-wing organisation Hindu Jagran Vedike. V Sunil Kumar, Minister for Culture, and MLA Raghupathy Bhat took part in the rally.
Hindu Jagran Vedike is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The rally started from the Mahishamardini temple before heading towards Udupi bus stand and ending outside the Udupi Krishna temple. It included a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji with chants of "Jai Shivaji, the one who built a Hindu rashtra" raised by the participants.