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

Mangaluru, Mar 21: District Congress interim president Ibrahim Kodijal on Monday March 21 said that intolerance has been increasing in the country of late and lashed out at the BJP-led union government and the Sangh Parivar over some recent incidents.

Addressing a press meet at the district Congress office, Kodijal said, "Intolerance in the country is rising day by day, including in the state and in our district. We can see acts of intolerance everywhere. This is not good. If you look at the recent developments in the country, two cattle traders were murdered and hanged from a tree in Jharkhand two days ago. Are their murderers not terrorists?"

Referring to the Dadri incident in which a man was lynched to death by a mob, he said, "A few months ago a person was pulled out from his house for keeping mutton in his refridgerator. Is this not terrorism? BJP and Sangh Parivar should answer.

"Are the statements by Uttara Kannada MP Anant Kumar Hegde on Islam not provocative? Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently said that Islam is a religion of peace. No religion, be it Hinduism, Islam or Christianity supports terrorism. BJP and Sangh Parivar should understand this. Some of their actions seem like they are against Hinduism and the Constutution, and they should correct themselves," he said.

"Congress will never support communalism and hatred. Congress treats all religions equally and works on the principle of secularism. We should all live with brotherhood. Sowing the seeds of communal hatred is showing disrespect to the Constitution," he added.

On the row over the inclusion deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim's name in the invitation of a Puttur temple programme, he said, "The DC is the chief administrator of the temple, and opposing the inclusion of his name in the invitation is as good as opposing the principles of tolerance, harmony and the essence of Hinduism. I condemn this. From several years we have been celebrating various Hindu festivals together without any discrimination.

"In this regard, disrict in-charge minister Ramanath Rai is a role model to all as he has been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi by bringing people of all religions together. Religous organizations should be secular. Because of communal polarization, we lost the zilla panchayat elections but in the next Assembly elections we will win all eight seats in the district," he said.

He also said that the budget presented by chief minister Siddaramaiah this time was 'good'.

Corporator Shashidhar Hegde, Puttur block president Kavu Hemanath Shetty, T K Sudhir and others were present.