A dispute that began over a Tulsi Katte among residents of Bengaluru’s second-largest apartment complex has now escalated, involving demands for a Masjid and a Gurudwara. The residents of Provident Welworth City Apartment, near Amanikere in Yelahanka, which houses around 3,000 flats, are bewildered about how to resolve this religious conflict.

Based on Vistara News reports, the conflict started when a group of non-Hindu Islamic residents insisted on the removal of a Tulsi Katte, a platform where Hindu residents perform daily rituals. A retired KAS officer, Mathai, along with a few others, led the charge against the Tulsi Katte, creating a group to oppose the Hindu residents. Despite the resistance, Hindu residents continued their daily worship.

Angered by this, the Islamist group filed a complaint with the district authorities, demanding the removal of the Tulsi Katte. Simultaneously, several Islamic residents requested the construction of a mosque within the apartment complex, arguing that if Hindu residents could have a Tulsi Katte, they should be allowed a place for their religious practices by allowing them to build a mosque.

Following this, Sikh residents also demanded the construction of a Gurudwara. The apartment complex, home to 15,000 people, has now become divided along religious lines, leading to a full-blown religious conflict.

To address the issue, a team from the District Commissioner’s office is scheduled to visit the apartment complex today. The district administration is set to mediate the disputes involving the Tulsi Katte, Masjid, and Gurdwara. Hindu residents have expressed their frustration, stating that their peaceful worship at the Tulsi Katte has been disrupted by this religious conflict.

Earlier, such incidents were hardly seen in Karnataka. Now, for seemingly trivial reasons, these conflicts are escalating, primarily due to religious intolerance. This trend is highly concerning in a diverse country like Bharat, where communal tensions can quickly escalate. There is a growing sense of intolerance towards Hindus in various small-scale communities, especially ideologies by radical Islamists, spreading hatred in many places, which is alarming. The raising of pro-Pakistan slogans and the public offering of Namaz in inappropriate places highlight issues of public order and communal harmony in the state.