Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Jul 10: Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP) on Monday July 10 warned the state government against arresting Hindu leaders booked in the stone-pelting incident during RSS worker Sharath Madivala's procession, and said that the government would be directly responsible for the consequences if the police were to arrest them.

Addressing a press meet here, VHP district working president Jagadish Shenava said, "The state government will be directly responsible for the consquences if the police arrest Hindu leaders for their alleged involvement in stone-pelting at Kaikamba during the funeral procession of Sharath Madivala.

"Sharath was attacked by miscreants on July 4 at BC Road. He breathed his last on July 8 and the funeral procession was carried out from AJ Hospital to his hometown at Sajipamunnur. The procession was peacefully carried out, but once it crossed Kaikamba, a few people pelted stones damaging vehicles, shops and injuring a few. Security was tightened throughout the stretch from Mangaluru to Brahmarakootlu, but we feel that it was lacking in Kaikamba which is a very sensitive area.

"Yesterday (Sunday July 9) police raided Satyajit Suratkal's residence for his involvement in stone-pelting case. Police are looking to arrest Hindu leaders Sharan Pumpwell, Harish Poonja, Muralikrishna and Pradeep. The procession was managed by VHP and Bajrang Dal and the entire community took part in it. But unneccessarily police are trying to arrest Hindu leaders in the case. The truth is, these five Hindu leaders had already reached Melkar by the time there was stone-pelting at Kaikamba," he said.

"When SDPI leader Ashraf Kalayi's funeral procession was carried out, the Hindu leaders did not interrupt it. During the procession, nearly 30 to 40 people stabbed a youth when the procession reached Adyar, just because he belonged to the Hindu community. Even during Kalladka incident, Pavan was stabbed, Chiranjeevi was stabbed but so far no one has been arrested in either of the cases. The police have failed to nab the culprits behind Sharath Madivala's murder too. When a Hindu member is murdered police fail to nab the culprits but when a Muslim is murdered, the accused is arrested within 24 hours," he alleged.

"Some even say that stone pelters were from Kerala. Even in Kuttappa and Rudresh murder cases, there were Keralites. Kerala outfits have an ISIS mindset and they are trying to disrupt peace in our district too. PFI, SDPI and CPI have hidden agendas and they need to be stopped, or else Dakshina Kannada will definitely turn into another Kashmir. These organisations want to make this country a Muslim nation, but we will never allow it to happen," he added.

VHP secretary M B Puranik said that the VHP and the Bajrang Dal will hand over compensation of Rs 50,000 to Sharath Madivala's family.

VHP members Bhujanga Kulal, Vasudev and others were present.