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MANGALURU: The religious organization in the Dakshina Kannada District, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) are mounting pressure on the District Administration to allow holding of religious functions taking umbrage to the Government’s Order of banning religious functions, while allowing others functions like political, marriages, birthday parties with limited participation.

Sources said the District Administration refused to entertain their plea saying that their hands were tied until the Government reversed the order regarding holding of religious functions.

Sharan Pumpwell, Vibhag Secretary and Pradeep Saripalla, District Prachara Pramukh, met the Deputy Commissioner Dr K V Rajendra on Saturday urging him to lift restrictions on religious functions. They said preparations have already been done for numerous religious functions in the district like Daivaradhane, nema, kola, Nagamandala, Brahmakalasha and Yakshagana. They said it was improper to restrict these functions in the name of Covid restrictions while allowing others functions.

Ashok Rai from Puttur, who is the president of Brahmakalasha and Renovation Committee, Mahishamardini Temple, Kodimbady, told TOI that members of various temples in the four taluks of the district had approached the DC to allow religious functions. ``There are several Brahmakalasha functions all over the districts in the next seven to ten days. All preparations have been done and much effort has gone into it. We cannot all of a sudden abandon all these,’’ he said.

They demanded that the government allow these functions to take place and they would ensure that SOPs and protocols regarding Covid like social distancing, masks, limited attendance would be followed.

The religious organizations are exerting pressure on BJP State president and MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, who was in the eye of the storm for violating night curfew by organizing Dharmanemotsava at Kelagina Kunjadi Tharavadu Mane, Kadaba taluk, his ancestral house, a week back. Top BJP leaders flocked the venue and netizens criticized the MP for throwing into the wind Covid Appropriate Behavior. Netizens trolled Kateel tweeting: “After the dharmanema, corona will function as usual during night,” posting a picture of Kateel, Congress MP D K Suresh and Kateel’s opponent candidate in the last Lok Sabha election Mithun Rai participating in the programme without wearing masks.

Rai said they met Kateel on Saturday evening, who after speaking to the chief secretary, said that if CM Yediyurappa gives permission it can be held. Rai said Kateel and district in charge minister Kota Shrinivas Poojari will speak to the CM and hoped for a favourable decision.