Pics: Joshwa Dsouza/Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru/Udupi(JD/UM)

Mangaluru, Mar 15: Bajrang Dal and VHP on Tuesday March 15 staged a protest in front of the DC's office here condemning the recent murder of BJP worker and RSS activist Raju in Mysuru. They also demanded chief minister Siddaramaiah's immediate resignation.

Convener of Bajrang Dal Sharan Pumpwell addressed the protest and said, "The communalists have murdered a good activist who was protecting Hindus in Kyatamaranahalli (in Mysuru). What is wrong in judicially fighting against a mosque that was built illegally on government land?

"Kyatamaranahalli has always been an insecure place for Hindus. The number of Hindu households there has reduced to 25 from 250 in recent years. Now the Congress government has arrested hundreds of men for no reason.

"Ever since the Siddaramaiah government came to power, it has been targetting Hindus. The state government withdrew cases against PFI and KFD members. Taking advantage of the soft nature of the government towards the minorities, the PFI and other organizations are targetting Hindus," he alleged.

"Chief minister Siddaramaiah has to resign from his post with immediate effect, or else we will stage a series of protests across the state. These murders of Hindu activists are the gift of the Congress government. The government is meting out stepmotherly treatment to Hindus. The culprits must be arrested immediately and compensation given to Raju's family," he demanded.

MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik said, "The series of murders of Hindu activists makes us wonder which country we are living in. This is a conspiracy to suppress the majority community by the Siddu government for vote bank. This government has been targetting the majority continuously. Hindu youths are killed just because they wear the saffron shawl.

"The state government must take responsibility for the murder and console Raju's family. The culprits should be arrested at the earliest," he said.

District president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Jagadish Shenava said, "People ask for Modi's resignation for anything and everything that happens in the country. Now we demand Siddaramaiah's resignation. Is this not intolerance? When there were attacks on conversion centers in Mangaluru a few years ago, the then central government had intervened. Now the union government must intervene and hand over the investigation to CBI. The state government must give compensation of Rs 25 lac to Raju's family.

"The state government is trying to finish the majority community politically and religiously," he alleged.

Referring to the row over the inclusion of the dpeuty commissioner's name in the invitation to a programme at Mahalingeshwara temple, he said, "There is no point in inviting the DC to a Hindu programme. They (government) formulated the law and they are playing the cards as they want."

Former MLC Monappa Bhandary, district secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Gopal Kuthar and others were present. The protesters later submitted a memorandum to the governor through deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim.

Udupi

Simultaneously, Bajrang Dal and VHP units of Udupi too staged a protest at the Clock Tower circle.

Addressing the protestors, president of district Bajrang Dal Suprasad Shetty said, "A systematic attempt is being in the state to target the youth working for Hindu organizations. This has taken place more in the coastal region than anywhere else. None of the representatives from the state government has visited Raju's house.

"The chief minister must take the responsibility, as this murder has taken place in his district. The government has failed to respond to the murders of Hindu activists and bring the culprits to book. This clearly shows that the government is targeting the Hindu youth. The murderers should be arrested immediately and a sum of Rs 25 lac must be given to Raju's family," he demanded.

Former MLA Raghupati Bhat said, "There have been a series of murders of Hindu activists, but in not a single case did any of the ministers or MLAs of the Congress party visit the family of the victim to express condolence. This is a clear indication of the conspiracy by the state government to suppress the majority community and threaten it through continuous murders. Hindus have been observing this closely and they will take the action against this in the coming days and wake up the government. The government's behavior shows that it is supporting the murderers.

"The government must change its attitude and arrest the culprits and take the stern action against them," he demanded.

VHP Mangaluru division head Sunil K R, zilla panchayat member Sumith Bailoor, city BJP president Raghavendra Kini and others were present.