Mounesh Vishwakarma
Pics: Kishore Peraje
Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Updated

Bantwal, Jul 7: The police on Friday July 7 arrested BJP MPs Shobha Karandlaje, Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik, MLA Sunil Kumar, BJP leader Padmanabha Kottari and other leaders for attempting to protest against the assault on RSS worker Sharath at BC Road here despite Section 144 being clamped in the district.

The leaders as well as protestors including Nagaraj Shetty, Jagadish Shenava, Monappa Bhandary, Rukmayya Poojary, Sharan Pumpwell, Satyajit Suratkal, Jagadish Adhikari and many others were bundled into police vans over 20 government buses and taken to Beltangady and Puttur. They were later released. 

RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat also arrived at the protest venue but left within a few minutes, but not before addressing the protest. His supporters lifted him up on their shoulders and surrounded him, blocking the police from arresting him.

The police have registered cases against more than 500 people for violating Sec 144 and booked them under sections 143 and 149 too.

The situation returned to normal after the protestors were arrested. The vehicular movement on the the highway that had been stalled due to the protest was restored after the protestors were taken away.

Earlier in the day, efforts being made by Hindu Hitarakshana Vedike to hold protest against murder attempt on Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activist, Sharath, and condemning frequent incidents of atrocities against members of Hindu community in the district, in spite of the fact that prohibitory orders under section 144 are in force, gave rise to an environment of tension at B C Road.

Sharath, who runs 'Udaya' laundry service at BC Road, was stabbed by a group on the night of July 4 just as he was about to leave from his workplace for home.

Police have repeatedly warned people not to form crowds, organize meetings and functions etc. Activists of Hindu organizations totalling over a thousand have gathered at several spots at B C Road. To thwart any untoward incidents, police personnel have been deployed all along the town. Western range inspector general of police, Harishekaran, and district superintendent of police, Sudheer Kumar Reddy, have been moving around the town and monitoring the situation.

Over 25 police vans have been stationed at B C Road. The police conducted march past in the town. Fire brigade vehicles have also been kept in readiness to face any eventuality.

MPs Shobha Karandlaje and Nalin Kumar Kateel, Karkala MLA, Sunil Kumar, former MLA, Padmanabha Kottary, and Hindu leaders like Rajesh Naik, Devadas Shetty, Jagadish Adhikari, G Anand, Jithendra Kottary and thousands of workers of Hindu organizations arrived here from various places including Mangaluru, Putur, Sullia and Beltangady to take part in the protest.

Addressing the protestors, Shobha Karandlaje said, "The state government is protecting some Muslim terrorists. Siddaramaiah government has completely failed to maintain law and order in the state. It is a murderous government. All the illegal things taking place in the Dakshina Kannada follow a pattern. And all these things happen with the support from the government. The prohibitory orders have been here for the past 47 days but relaxed when the chief minister (CM) arrives here. Do the orders not apply to the CM? How do they (Congress0 hold convention in Adyar when prohibitory orders are in place? Why only the innocent Hindu activists are arrested when they protest in a democratic way?"

Nalin Kumar Kateel said, "The atrocities against Hindus are going on continuously without any break. We will intensify the protest if we do not get protection."

RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat said, "Communalists are targeting the Hindu people specifically to create tension. The situation is such that we cannot go anywhere for protection. There is total chaos here. We respect the law, that is why we postponed protest last time. But the Hindu community has lost its patience. Now it is necessary to express our pain. The government itself supports and tolerates illegal activities like cow slaughtering."

Speaking after visiting the laundry belonging to Sharath, Karandlaje criticized the state government for its failure to arrest the culprits. She said that the police force is being used to silence the protesters and the Congress government is abetting such incidents instead of controlling law and order situation.

Shops and commercial establishments are closing their shops one by one fearing worsening of the situation.