Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Feb 12: “The drug menace is thriving in the district and is claiming the lives of many innocent students. The district administration failed to curtail the flow narcotics drugs in the district. The drug mafia is openly exploiting the city which is an educational hub. The drug mafia is waging an indirect war against the Hindu community by turning its youth passive and obliterating them,” said Sathyajith Suratkal, state vice-convener, Hindu Jagarana Vedhike (HJV).

He was speaking at a protest organized by the Mangalore Urban unit of HJV and Kodikere Nagarika Samithi near DC office in the city demanding the arrest of those involved in the murder of Shivaraj and curbing of the drug mafia. Shivaraj, a mechanic at a car showroom in the city, was found murdered near the railway track at Thokur on July 20, 2012.

“The police have arrested only Prakash and Dinesh in connection to this case but they did not have any grudge against Shivaraj. They are just hired hands and there are plotters behind this incident whom the police have failed to arrest. The case should be handed over to CID and justice provided to Shivaraj’s family,” he added.

Surathkal, referring to the homestay incident, defended the HJV’s initiative at the time in association with some women’s organizations and said that they had to take action as the police and district administration failed to do so despite complaints from local residents about immoral activities taking place there. He further questioned as to what type of birthday celebrations involved celebrations over two days at a home stay. “The boys and girls had booked the home stay for two days. Usually people celebrate birthday parties in homes and convention halls.”

Surathkal questioned the double standards of the ‘intellectuals’. “The self-termed intellectuals called it ‘moral policing’ and protested against the act but why did they not protest the death of innocent Sneha Upadhaya who was a victim of the drug mafia. Today, police arrest and seize ‘ganja’ from small petty shops. We welcome this. But even narcotic drugs like heroin, opium and morphine are circulated inside college campuses. Why are the ‘intellectuals’ mum on this instead of claiming that the drug mafia is ruining society.”

Slamming the editor of an evening newspaper, Surathkal said, “One yellow newspaper’s editor writes that I was friendly with a drug peddler and tried to tarnish the image of the organization. Today, this editor is involved in the drug menace and is using his pen and profession to write against the HJV. But he doesn’t have the guts to write about the thriving drugs mafia who come and stay in the home stays and do their drug deals in the city, because he supports that. HJV was the only organization who saved an innocent girl, while she was being given drugs by former mayor Ashraf’s son in Ullal.”

“So, this drug mafia is indirectly waging war on India where more than 65 percent  of youth are 35 years and younger and have great intellectual prowess. These narcotic drugs are grown in Afghanistan and Pakistan and are circulated in India. It is an indirect war waged on this country. So, through this protest we want to create awareness and warn the administration to take stringent action against the thriving drug menace in the city. Society has the power to act against the menace and even HJV will hold awareness rallies from Sampage to Byndoor against the drug menace”, said Surathkal.

Ullas, convener, Dakshina Prantha, said Navin Soorinje was a journalist who hails from Leftist ideology and he provoked the HJV activists to act violently during the home stay incident. “Soorinje, who was a journalist, failed to perform is journalistic duties and instead he provoked the HJV activists to act rudely. But unfortunately, some media agencies claimed that HJV is the reason for all this. The state government has withdrawn the case against Soorinje who provoked HJV activists but unfortunately, the activists are still in jail. Today, in the city, the sex and drug mafia is prevailing but the government has failed in its responsibility to put an end to it,” he added.

Vasudev Gowda presented the keynote address. A plea was submitted to the DC demanding a stop to the thriving drug menace  and arrest the culprits involved in the murder of Shivaraj.

Kishor, city president of HJV, Vasudev Gowda, division president of HJV, Shashikala Vijayakumar, resident of Kodikere, and Raju Moolya, father of Shivaraj, were present.

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