Mangaluru: Hundreds walked on a padayatra from Kadri Sri Manjunatha Temple in the city to the Koragajja shrine in Kuttar as part of a campaign organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for the protection of Hindu religion and traditions on Sunday. Devotees took part in the 14km procession, singing bhajans, and also participated in a mass prayer at the Koragajja shrine.

During a religious meet at Kuthar, Hindutva orator Chakravarty Sulibele said that Hindutva can only survive for a long time if a person who respects Hindutva rules the country. “Considering how the chief minister intends to appease Muslims in the state budget, it raises concerns about the state of Hindus and where it might lead. One might wonder how Hindus survived during the Mughal era and preserved their religion. It was possible due to the devotion of every Hindu,” he stated.

He criticised the Karnataka govt, saying that it is allocating Rs 400 crore to 100 Urdu schools and has reserved Rs 150 crore for the protection of waqf properties. “The Karnataka govt is rubbing salt on the wounds of Hindus. If they are giving so much without Muslims asking, one can only fear what the situation would be if a govt that appeases them comes to power across the country,” he warned.

He also called upon Hindus to conduct ‘Ghar Wapsi’ campaigns to bring back those who converted. “We should not just talk about conversion and ‘Love Jihad’, but also need to focus on other societal issues. Unity is crucial for the protection of Hindus,” he added.

VHP Dakshina Kannada district president HK Purushotham presided over the meet, and Pranta Sahakaryadarshi Sharan Pumpwell also spoke. Leaders Gopal Kuthar, Praveen Kuthar, Jayaram Rai, Ratnakar Kava, and Vinod Mada were present. The VHP has been organising this programme annually for the past few years.