Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 14: In the wake of the communal disturbances in the district, various well-known names, including rationalists, writers, thinkers, social workers and representatives of organizations have jointly appealed to the people of Dakshina Kannada to maintain peace and to keep away from communal forces that try to create rift in the society.
The statement of appeal has been signed by Narendra Nayak, president of Federation of Indian Rationalists Association, Nadoja Dr Sara Abbobakar, Nadoja award winner and humanist author, Eric Ozario, Gurkar of Mandd Sobhaan, M Devadas and Raghu Ekkar, state organising convenors, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Prof B Krishnappa group), Vishukumar, district organizing convenor Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Ambedkar group), Vidya Dinkar, co-coordinator, Citizen’s Forum for Mangalore Development, Dayanath Kotian, Forum for Justice, Ravi Kiran Poonacha, DK district president and state secretary, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Hasiru Sene DK, Premanath Shetty K, Baltila Bantwal taluk president of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, V U George, editor, Mangalore Today and Somanath Nayak, Nagarika Seva Trust, Guruvayanakere.
"...in our capacity as citizens and on behalf of the various organizations that we represent (we) wish to make this appeal to all of our brothers and sisters of our district.
"We are all apolitical and do not belong to any caste or communal based organizations and wish to see our district thrive as a show piece of harmony and prosperity to the world at large. For hundreds of years this area has been the home for lacs of people belonging to various religions, communities, linguistic groups and cultures. But, in the last few decades systematic attempts are being to destroy this atmosphere of peaceful co-existence," they said.
"Many vested interests belonging to communal, casteist organizations and political parties have been trying to create differences between human beings in the name of religion to serve their own nefarious ends. They have been creating havoc in public life by making incendiary statements. Already many innocent lives of either community have been lost because of this mindless violence. Systematic attempts have been made to weaken the efforts of the law and order machinery to serve the vested interests of these anti-social elements.
"To stop this violence, destruction of property and disturbance of public life it is very necessary to have an atmosphere of peace and harmony. We appeal to all our fellow human beings to: Keep away from these forces who want to create rifts between human beings in the name of religion and belief systems. Let us not indulge in violence to other human beings or destruction of property giving credence to wild rumors. Let us establish cordial relationships with all our fellow human beings and work together in harmony to build a strong humanity and nation," they urged, ending the appeal with the call, 'Jai Hind! Jai Insan!'