Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Oct 8: The Muslim Central Committee on Thursday October 8 demanded clarification on certain statements made by BJP leaders and enquiry in connection to the recent Cobrapost sting operation which claimed that BJP and right wing outfits were using violence to 'rescue' Hindu girls from 'love Jihad'.
Addressing a press meet here, president of Muslim Central Committee K S Mohammed Masood said, "It has been three days since the Cobrapost sting was reported in the media, but there is no clarification from any BJP leader yet on the statements made by them. I do not blame anyone but the three leaders - BJP's MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, VHP leader Jagadish Shenava and Srikar Prabhu - should clarify on what they said."
Demanding an enquiry into MLC Karnik's claim in the video that 60 percent of the police force is made up of RSS workers, he said, "The state home department should hold a detailed enquiry into this matter. It should be probed either by the CID, and if it CID does not have enough competency, then it should be given to the CBI.
"What is the home department doing when such statements are made? It is already three days, why there is no clarification yet? We want communal harmony in the district. Various Muslim bodies have approached me asking to seek clarification on the matter. Hence to answer the people and the community, I am here," he said.
"I do not trust media reports, but a detailed inquiry is a must. When it is being claimed that 60 percent of the police force are RSS workers, why is the home department silent? What does it mean? I do not blame anyone here. But within a month, we want clarification and detailed probe into this claim. If not, we will hold a meeting of all organizations and decide on the future course of action," he added.
"We want peace at any cost. The home ministry can order probe in any way it wants, through CID, COD, CBI or judicial enquiry. If it has any sense of moral responsibility, the home department must probe this claim," he reiterated.
When reporters asked what if the probe was not to the satisfaction of the Committee, Masood said the Muslim organizations would discuss the next step.
Asked if he felt the police had been denying social justice to minorities, he said, "No, I do not believe it, but enquiry into Karnik's claim should be done."
Committee joint secretary D M Aslam said, "People of the community are living in fear because of communal riots, hence we are demanding justice. Even MLAs and ministers are silent on this issue and they have not given any statement or clarification on the Cobrapost sting. The police department should hold a serious enquiry into its recruitments."
Former mayor Ashraf, secretary of the Committee Mustafa and Mohammed Haneef were present.
The Muslim Central Committee also submitted memorandum to the chief minister and the police commissioner demanding detailed probe into the findings of the Cobrapost sting operation.