Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SB)

Mangalore, March 13: In a major twist, a police officer stated before Justice B K Somasekhara Commission of Inquiry that the speeches made by Congress leaders Oscar Fernandes, Ramanath Rai, Ivan D’Souza, U T Khader and Vinay Kumar Sorake among others fuelled communal riots in the district after the Church attack incidents on September 14, 2008. 
 
Assistant sub-inspector Anantha Murudeshwara, deposing as a witness before commission here on Thursday March 11, made this affirmation to Bajrang Dal’s advocate Jagadish Shenava, who asked whether the speech made by those Congress leaders had provoked Christians to agitate.

Talking about the attack on Adoration Monastery near the Milagres Church, Murudeshwara said, “some devotees, who came for prayer at the monastery, said that the centre was attacked by some members of the Bajrang Dal and I did not know who was behind the attack then,” he added.

When Advocate B Ibrahim, who appeared for Christians, asked about Bajrang Dal former  leader Mahendra Kumar’s media statements claiming to be behind church attacks, Murudeshwara said that he was not aware of it. “Since I was busy with my official duties, I could not read newspapers and watch TV news then,” he added.