Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Feb 27: The district administration along with the police department held a peace meet at the deputy commissioner's officer here on Friday February 27 ahead of the VHP Virat Hindu Samajotsava to be held at Nehru Maidan on March 1.

District incharge minister B Ramanath Rai presided over the meeting, in the presence of DC A B Ibrahim, MLA J R Lobo, MLA Mohiuddin Bava, MLC Ivan D'Souza, police commissioner S Murugan, SP Dr Sharanappa, ZP CEO Tulisi Maddineni, organizers of the Samajotsava and leaders and members of various organizations and communities.

Addressing the meet, DC A B Ibrahim said, "Dakshina Kannada is a unique district which is advanced culturally and politically, and is a role model to the world. But due to certain small incidents, it has become infamous at the international level. When peace, harmony and lifestyle of the people are disrupted, development of the district gets hindered. No industries will want to come and employment opportunities will go down.

"Hence the district administration has taken necessary steps to maintain peace in the district. It has also appointed 36 sector magistrates throughtout the district, each of who will be given a police team and will be responsible for monirtoring of religious centres coming under his limits," he said.

"As many as 200 cameras and 500 CCTV cameras have been installed in various places, especially in the sensitive areas. The RTO has sanctioned 75 vehicles. We have also directed religious centres to install CCTV cameras and flood lights. We have already held peace meets in all taluks and imposed Section 144 in places like Bajpe, Suratkal, Kulai, Ulaibettu, Deralakette and Karaya where there were clashes recently," he informed.

"Already 4,000 police personnel have been deployed, among which are 30 KSRP platoons, 10 DAR platoons and two RAF forces," he added, appealing to the public to maintain peace and harmony in the district.

District incharge minister Ramanath Rai said, "DK has been a very communally sensitive district from the past few years, which is a sad thing. We should contemplate on who creates tension. Because of a few persons, harmony is disrupted in the district.

"The district admnistration is holding this peace meeting so that no innocen suffers. The clever people escape while innocents suffer. The innocents who suffer are poor, who do not have facilities like others. It is our duty to ensure that they do not become victims. We have also discussed the arrangements with ADGP (law and order). Some communal fundamentalists provoke and are responsible for creating tensions. This is done by the educated class not the uneducated," he said. He also said that the district administration has asked the Samajotsava organizers to end the programme by 5.30 pm.

District Congress interim president Ibrahim Kodijal said, "Hindu religion means 'Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu'. The organizers should take all responsibility and see that no trouble is created." He appealed to the organizers of the Samajotsava, who were also present, to ensure that the speakers do not to provoke or insult other communities. He also recalled a Hindu Samajotsava held six years ago where the Muslims offered sweet drinks to the crowd, said such harmony should be shown this time too.

"It is not good if leaders who come from other states give provocative speeches and insult other communites living here," he added.

Congressman and president of the Samajotsava organizing committee said, "This is an opportunity for all Hindus to get together. This programme will go on smoothly and there will be no provocative speech. Everyone wants peace. The peace meet should be held not only during Samajotsava but also at other times. We have already told our activists at taluk and district levels not to indulge in any provocative activity."

VHP Karnataka province working president M B Purnaik said, "VHP is holding this Samajotsava to celebrate its golden jubilee, and it is being held nationally too. VHP was formed to bring a change in society. Hindu Samajotsava first began to be held in 1981 in Mangaluru, and till date no incident of violence has taken place. During Hindu Samajotsava when speakers talk of problems facing the community, they cannot scream. We should be unbiased and impartial while looking at this Samajotsava. This convention is to bring equality in the Hindu Samaj and is against suppression. If I have ever supported any untoward incident I am ready to give up my life. Extremists are there in any group and we cannot take care of everyone. We are all Hindus and Indians, we want peace, harmony and not appeasement."

Rahim Uchil said, "The organizers should not allow provocative speeches. The speakers should not criticize religions or holy books. If anyone does any mistake, let the individual be held responsible, but it is wrong to paint the entire community with the same brush. There are fundamentalists in both communities. Has any action been taken against accused in the communal clashes in the past? It is repeating because there is no fear of the law. If proper action is taken against miscreants and they are punished under law, such incidents will not repeat."

MLA J R Lobo said, "Let us all support this programme. There are however provocative banners related to the programme put up and the organizers should remove them, if not removed it will lead to law and order problem. If there is communal problem it will in turn affect our economy. When outsiders come and give provocative speeches it will hinder growth of the city."

Ganesh Rao is part of the organizing committee said, "Fundamentalists and terrorists do not belong to any religion. Police should take strict action against them. The admnistration should strengthen the hands of the officers with unbiased investigation."

Balakrishna Rai of National Human Rights Federation said, "We are humans first. The administration should ban liquor and arrange proper security in sensitive areas and impose sections 144.

At the end, police commissioner S Murugan addressed the meet and said, "The police department will take proper action and will strengthen police force. The police will work fearlessly and miscreants will be dealt with strictly. No matter how big a leader, if he takes law into his hands, he will be dealt with appropriately.

"The police department has taken adequate measures and installed CCTVs in sensitive areas and border checkposts have been established to monitor the situation. Also, full-fleged control room is in place where people can directy call to complain. If any untoward incident takes place, police officer of KSRP or RAF will reach the spot within 10 minutes along with the staff.

B K Imthiyaz of DYFI, corporator Dayanand Shetty and K S Masood of Central Muslim Committee also spoke on the occasion.

During the meet, a minor verbal clash was witnessed when Vijaynath Vittalnath Shetty invited Ramanath Rai to attend the programme. Rai replied that Hindus already have so many festivals, and so also Christians and Muslims, to which Puranik said he should not talk that way. Other leaders in the meeting intervened and the matter was quickly resolved.