Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)
Mangaluru, Oct 7: The Popular Front of India (PFI) on Wednesday October 7 strongly condemned the statements of BJP leaders shown in the sting operation done by Cobrapost and said that the operation had 'proved' that 'love Jihad' was 'fabricated by the Sangh Parivar' to divide the society on communal lines.
Cobrapost recently claimed that its sting operation on leaders of BJP and right-wing groups like VHP, RSS and others across the country revealed that force, violence and dubious means were being used to 'rescue' Hindu girls from 'love Jihad'. The sting operation was also done on three Mangaluru based leaders - MLC Ganesh Karnik, VHP district working president Jagadish Shenava and former BJP member Srikar Prabhu.
Addressing a press meet here, PFI chief secretary Yasir Hasan said, "After the Cobrapost sting operation, the truth is finally out, that the concept of 'love Jihad' has been fabricated by the Sangh Parivar to divide Hindus and Musllims. This is a very dangerous strategy. Every time a girl goes missing, the Sangh Parivar uses the 'love Jihad' excuse even before the police investigation to create a tense situation in the district. This has been revealed by the sting operation.
"The term 'love Jihad' has been coined to polarize the society and BJP uses it as a strategy to gain Hindu vote bank," he alleged.
"VHP leader Jagadish Shenava is promoting immoral goondaism through his statements. BJP MLC Ganesh Karnik states that 60 percent of the police constables are from the RSS. We demand that the state government shoud conduct a serious enquiry into this claim. The police department should be cleansed and cops with communal mentality should be suspended. Strict action should be taken against Sangh Parivar leaders," he demanded, adding, "This concept (love Jihad) was fabricated to insult the Muslim community and create doubts and fears about the community in people's minds."
Recalling the case where 22 girls were lured and killed by Cyanide Mohan, Hasan said, "In coastal region, 22 girls went missing and it was termed as a case of 'love Jihad'. The Sangh Parivar held a protest and insulted the Muslim community, but after it was learnt that the girls had become victims of Cyanide Mohan, they became silent."
PFI state committee member Abdul Razak and district secretary Abdul Majeed were present.