Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jul 20: Sri Rajashekharananda Swamiji of Gurupur Vajradehi Math on Monday July 20 lashed out at health minister and Ullal MLA U T Khader, alleging him of bias in the way he treats the two major communities and warned that if efforts to subvert Hindus continue, an intense protest would be held.

Addressing a protest jointly held by the Ullal chapters of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) to condemn atrocities against the Hindu community in Mangaluru region, Vajradehi Swamiji said, "U T Khader is following a dual policy of buttering up Muslims and rubbing lime on the eyes of Hindus. If attempts to weaken and trample on Hindus continue, we will hold a strong protest. He must resign from the post of minister."

Apart from his resignation, the protestors also demanded that a case be registered against Khader and he be arrested.

Lashing out at the state government, the Swamiji said, "With a state government that favours wrongdoers, the police themselves seem to have lost protection. Atrocities are happening against Hindus only in Talapady and Thokkotu areas, and elected representives should solve people's problems instead of themselves becoming a problem.

"The police are capable of nabbing criminals but their hands are tied by the state government," he added.

Commenting on the sexual assault on a student of Mangalore One school in March this year, the Swamiji said, "Even though it was clarified that the child got hurt by a chair, a sexual assault case was registered against the driver of the school van just because he was a Hindu and he was arrested. This is condemnable. We are now protesting here in Thokkottu, but if such atrocities continue, we are ready to protest in front of the minister's (Khader's) house. So before we take the next step, the minister should uphold justice, pay attention to cases of atrocities and focus on people who are meted out injustice. He must pay attention to the problems faced by Hindus also."

Convener of Bajrang Dal (south Karnataka region) Sharan Pumpwell said, "The miscreants in Ullal are need to be reined in. Even during Ramadan which is said to be a holy month, cattle thefts and molestation of girls continued. U T Khader does drama. He builds roads and on those itself Hindu youths are stabbed."

HJV state co-convener Satyajit Suratkal, Bajrang Dal district convener Bhujang Kulal, VHP district secretary Gopal Kuthar and others were present.

'Let Hindu organizations respond to community's problems first'

Meanwhile, Ullal block Congress president Ishwar Ullal called a press meet to oppose the VHP-BD protest against U T Khader and said, "Let the Hindu organizations first file cases regarding injustice done to Hindus. U T Khader does not discriminate against anyone based on religion or community, and protesting against him will not do any good to the Hindu community.

"They are not coming forward to file cases of alleged atrocities against Hindus in Ullal. This proves that they are also involved with the accused," he alleged.

"Police have arrested the accused in 'target' case. In the case related to harassment of a female doctor, these organizations have themselves taken money and settled the case. Khader is not confined to any particular community. The protest against him is an attempt to disrupt communal harmony.

Cattle trafficking happened during BJP's regime in the state too, and illegal slaughterhouses also operated then. This is a clear indication that they too were involved in it. The minister who they term as 'anti-Hindu' has given Rs 30 lac each to Shree Cheerumbha Bhagavati Kshetra, Ullal Ganiga Samaj and Kolya Kulal Bhavan, Rs 15 lac to Ira Kalladi temple and much more to many other temples and institutions. He has also give Rs 35,000 to Abhishek who was stabbed in Ullal. Let the organizations who protested today say publicly what they have done to their community people. Let the BJP-led government at the centre ban cow slaughter if it can," he challenged.