Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 17: The district and sessions court here granted anticipatory bail to Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, in connection with a complaint of delivering communally provocative address at the mega Hindu Sangama programme held at Gurpur sometime back.

Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat had participated as the main speaker at a programme, 'Hindu Sangama', organized in Gurpur Vajradehi Mutt on January 5 this year. A person named Muhammed had filed a complaint in Bajpe police station, alleging that Bhat had delivered a speech which hurt the sentiments of Muslims.

The Bajpe police, after holding investigation, had filed charge sheet against him. On the basis of the charge sheet, the court had issued non-bailable arrest warrant against Bhat.

Advocate P P Hegde, who appeared for Bhat, argued that his client had not made any derogatory remarks against Islam in his address. "He had merely stated that wearing of burkha is a part of the faith Muslim women have. Worship of saints and Sadhus is a part of the faith system of Hindus. But the government wants to only ban the faith systems of Hindus by branding them as superstitions. The address laid stress on the need to create laws which treat all classes of people equally and sought opinion of the people towards this aspect," Hegde had argued.

Hegde also had stressed that Bhat did not intend to hurt sentiments of any particular community.