Pics: Spoorthi Ullal/Abhijith N Kolpe
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Nov 15: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest here at Kodikal ground on Monday November 15 condemning the incident of idol desecration at Nagabhramastana here on November 13.
The protestors also took out a protest march from Kodikal ground to Nagabhramastana leading to a bandh. Shops in the vicinity were closed and vehicle movement is also restricted.
Addressing the protestors, Sharan Pumpwell, regional secretary, VHP said, “For the third, the deity’s idol (naga) has been desecrated. It is unfortunate that some miscreants are damaging the religious centre of Hindus and trying to hurt our sentiments. The first incident occurred at Panambur, the second at Kulur and now at Kodikal. Police have arrested a person in connection to the Kulur incident, but the police claim that he is mentally ill. How come a mentally ill person can see only Hindu worship place? Why not other religion’s places of worship? If the mentally ill person is in jail for Kulur case, then who has done it in Panambur and Kodikal?
“If the same incident had occurred in mosques or churches, will they keep quiet? Such miscreants should be encountered by police. The chief minister should keep any eye on the coastal district. We have voted them for the sake of Hindutva. We demand the arrest of culprits who have desecrated the Hindu worship places,” he said.
Sri Rajashekarananda Swamiji of Vajradehi Math said, “We had set a 24-hour ultimatum to the police to arrest the culprit in Kulur incident, but a mentally ill person was arrested. The police seem to be helpless in tracing the right accused. We will give 24 days for the arrest of the culprit here. Whenever police cracks a case, a chief minister’s medal will be given. If this case is solved, I will recommend to the President to give President’s medal and will felicitate them in Mangaluru. Instead of chief minister, our home minister should keep an eye on the coastal belt and seek report of the incident.”