M'lore: Mahendra Kumar Booked Under Goonda Act - Hindu Outfits Issue Warning
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)
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Mangalore, Oct 21: Bajrang Dal state convener Mahendra Kumar, who is lodged in the sub-jail here, was making all out efforts to secure bail through the state High Court. As if to thwart his efforts, the state government in a brave act, either due to the pressure brought out on it by the union government or to appease the livid Christians and convince those probing the attacks on churches, surprisingly enforced the Goonda Act against Mahendra Kumar.
The Act was enforced through the Chikmagalur court. It would be hard for Mahendra Kumar to get out on bail now, as provisions of the Goonda Act are stringent, it is believed. Personnel from Chikmagalur had come here, armed with an order applying the Goonda Act on Mahendra Kumar and with the purpose of taking him away.
However, the activists of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishat, who came to know about the turn of events, gathered in front of the BJP office on Tuesday October 21 afternoon and raised slogans against the BJP government and also the home minister Dr V S Acharya. The protesters then moved to in front of the city sub-jail, where again they gave vent to their anger against the government.
Bajrang Dal leaders Sharan Pumpwell, Rajgopal Rai, Shivanand Mendon etc. were present.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishwa Hindu Parishat district spokesperson Jagadish Shenava warned that all the office-bearers of the Hindu outfits like the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishat will resign en masse, unless the government takes immediate steps to withdraw the application of Goonda Act against Kumar.
"Even after Mahendra Kumar was arrested, we kept quiet, knowing fully well that his arrest was not justified, because Kumar asked us to keep mum. The government has gone out of its bounds now, in enforcing Goonda Act against Kumar, who has not done anything other than issuing some statements. Unless he is released early, we will intensify our protests and do not care even if the state government crumbles," he warned.
Shenava further charged the government of not booking even those who are directly involved in the acts of attacks on churches and those who were arrested in the aftermath of the events, under the Goonda Act. "We were keeping silent in order not to vitiate the law and order situation in the state. The state government has failed to even find out and arrest those who authored and published the work, 'Satya Darshini'. The government is now trying to make Mahendra Kumar a scapegoat, which we will not allow. We warn the government to withdraw its decision or face music," Shenava said.
The police personnel who had come from Chikmagalur, armed with the order that cited that Mahendra Kumar has been booked under the Goonda Act, delivered the same to the sub-jail. However, they could not take him away on Tuesday.
BJP leader Srikar Prabhu visited the sub-jail. In spite of repeated requests, he refused to speak to the press. He said that the district president will later talk to them.
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