Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, Jun 17: "The one-sided approach by senior police officials and double standards of the government has converted a fight between two individuals into a serious situation in Kalladka," said MP Shobha Karandlaje.
She was addressing a press meet at BC Road here on Saturday June 17, after visiting Hindu Jagarana Vedike (HJV) district president Ratnakar Shetty who is admitted to a hospital in Puttur and expressing her sympathies. Ratnakar Shetty was among the two persons in the Kalladka incident, the other being Khaleel, who is also hospitalized in Thumbay.
"This situation would not have occurred if the police had taken suitable action in the beginning itself. The incident has exposed the incompetence of the police," she said.
"BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa and I had met the state police chief after the Kalladka incident on May 26 and suggested him to give instructions to the SP who was present at the place of the incident to control the situation. We had also urged him to transfer the SP and investigate the incident under the leadership of another police officer. But the police department ignored our suggestion due to pressure from a local minister," she claimed.
"PFI and KFD organizations whose involvement in the murders of BJP party activists Rudresh, Kuttappa and Prashant Poojary has been stated by the NIA are not banned despite several demands. The government instead has ignored our pleas and withdrawn the cases against the activists of the organizations, thereby encouraging them. The government should ban these organizations at least now," she urged.
"Police are targeting Hindu youth and registering cases against them due to pressure from the government and a minister. Western zone IGP Harishekaran has said to his party leaders that he will kill Mithun (accused of stabbing Hashim on May 26 in Kalladka) in encounter if he is found. Mithun's father Narayana Poojary and Yathin's (another accused) father Koti Poojary have been taken into custody in the name of questioning," she said.
"On the one hand, police are saying that innocent people will not be arrested, while on the other hand they are targeting only Hindu youths for arrests," she said condemning the alleged 'double standards' of police.
"Congress is playing politics of appeasement for vote bank. We have so far maintained peace, but our patience too has a limit. The police should stop arresting innocent people and take action against genuine culprits," she urged.
"Vittal police have registered a case concerning assault on a woman named Malathi in such a way that the accused can go scot free. They even made Malathi sit in a police jeep and took her around until the suspects were granted bail. They left Malathi at home after the accused were released on bail," alleged Shobha.
State co-spokesperson Sulochana G K Bhat, state secretary Thingale Vikramarjuna Hegde, former MLA A Rukmaya Poojary, Padmanabha Kothary, former member of Vidhana Parishat, A Monappa Bhandary, BJP constituency president B Devadas Shetty, leaders Rajesh Nayak Ulipadiguthu, Jithendra Kothary, Umanath Kotian, Brijesh Chowta, Kiran Kumar, Dinesh Amtooru, Suresh Shetty Gurme, Ramadasa Bantwal, Monappa Devasya, zilla panchayat member Kamalakshi Poojary, Harish Poonja, taluk panchayat member Mahabala Alva, Vajranath Kalladka, Ramanath Rai and others were present.
Meeting on June 24 to condemn atrocities on Hindus: Bantwal BJP committee president Devadas Shetty said that a protest meeting condemning the atrocities against Hindus will be held in front of taluk office in BC Road on June 24. BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa and other state and district leaders will participate in it.