MANGALURU:
A poster that was displayed at the fishing dock in Mangaluru has since sparked a debate. According to reports, the Fish Trade Association displayed a banner calling for the mandatory closure of the whole fishing harbour on September 28 in observance of Eid-Milad.
The poster further warns against conducting any business at the port on September 28 after 3.45 am. Any person who conducts business will be punished and subject to a one-month boycott.
The banner is currently a popular subject of conversation on social media. After seeing this banner, where Muslims dominate the fishing industry, it is rumoured that Hindu fishermen have received threats.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has questioned the banner’s legitimacy and asserted that Hindu fisherman should not be alarmed because the entire Hindu community is on their side. Hindu organisations have also urged the authorities to act swiftly to punish those responsible for the banner.
The leaders of the Fishermen Association have asserted that religious holidays for Christian, Muslim, and Hindu festivals have been obligatory for many years. For three Hindu, three Muslim, and two Christian festivals, a mandatory holiday is observed. Since everyone is conducting business amicably, there should be no controversy. This poster has been put up to stop a recurrence incident during Eid Milad after some people secretly sold fish on Ganesh Chaturthi, it stated. The association has now chosen to publish the information regarding the eight required festival holidays for each of the three major religions.
