K'taka home minister calls BJP's decision to rename 'Salaam Aarti' 'right', JDS hits back

Mangaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 11 : Karnataka Home Minister on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s decision to rename 'Salaam Aarti' ritual that was started by a temple in Karnataka's Kollur in Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan's honour was 'right'.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to rename 'Salaam Aarti' ritual that was started by a temple in Karnataka's Kollur in Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan's honour.
As per the priests at the temple, Salaam aarti' is performed every evening between 6.45 pm-7.30 pm, to commemorate the visit of Tipu Sultan to the temple.
An announcement regarding the decision was made by the Karnataka Dharmika Parishat (State Religious Council), which comes under the Department of Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Muzarai) on Friday.
"The ritual will now be named 'Deepa Namaskara Pooja'," Kashekodi Suryanarayan Bhat Convenor of the State Religious Council told ANI.
Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that changing the ritual's name was right.
"It's a right decision, it was started in some era of Gulamgiri, religious things which are related to temples must happen in temples, it's a right decision," he said.
"The ritual was started during the slavery era, and it should be changed. At least, if not the work of strengthening our cultural base in our temples, then where should it happen?" Jnanendra questioned.
The former chief minister of Karnataka and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy condemned the move and accused the BJP of not focusing on real issues.
"BJP doesn't want to focus on real issues, therefore they're raking up such things. They (BJP) want to change the history and our old cultures," Kumaraswamy said.