Mangaluru, Oct 22 (IANS): Former Congress MLA, B.A. Mohiuddin Bava, has recieved a threat call from an alleged right-wing supporter for participating in a temple ritual in his constituency on Wednesday.

Bava represented the Mangaluru North Assembly constituency twice prior to 2018 when he lost to BJP's Bharat Shetty by over 20,000 votes.

Speaking to IANS, Bava said that he took part in a puja organised by the Sunkadkatte Annapoorneshwari temple that is part of the Mangaluru North constituency.

"The temple trustees and priests had invited me like they had invited BJP legislator Bharat Shetty. For some reasons, he could not stay for long. When I went to take part in the function, that was the time when the ritual of pouring rice into a vat (Kopparige) was about to start," he said.

According to Bava, after the vat (Kopparige) was placed in front of the deity, the priests and the trustees asked him to perform the ritual.

"How could any sane person reject such a ritual? This deity is worshipped to provide food to all and everyone seeks her blessings in this region. Such being the case, how could I even refuse to pour rice in that vat," he asked.

Bava added that when a picture of him pouring rice in the vat went viral, he received a threat call from Mumbai from a person by the name of Honey. The caller threatened him for performing the ritual at the temple, saying he should not cross his limits, claimed Bava.

Bava further asserted that he is a firm believer in Islam, which he follows religiously, but that does not stop him from taking part in other religious functions.

The Congress leader said that he has lodged a complaint with the Surtkal police and a probe is on.