Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Networks- Mangaluru (JM)
Mangaluru Jul 14: “The JD(S) along with the students of various colleges had planned to organize a peace march on July 15 which also included the participation of former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and former CM Kumaraswamy. The permission for this event was first assured by the commissioner but later denied. This denial of permission is because of the of the political pressure from CM Siddaramaiah and district in-charge Ramanath Rai,” alleged Mohammed Kunni, district president, JD(S).
Addressing the news conference here on Friday July 14, Kunni said that there were no agendas set behind this march neither was it an act to gain people’s votes, it was just a concern of the JD(S) leaders to bring peace in the DK district.
“The district in-charge minister is not worthy of his post since he could not organize a peace meet until now and as soon as he got to know that we were about to organize it he denied the peace rally and organized their own.”
He also condemned the alleged lies from the authorities and said that the minister and the commissioner pretended to have not known about the peace march at all. Kunni also added that he had all the papers where it clearly showed that they had denied the permission appeal.
“Since there was section144 in Bantwal, we asked for the permission to carry it out in Mangaluru which would start from Bautagudde to the DC’s office and then conclude in front of the Town hall.”
“We are not like the BJP leaders who give out speeches of burning the city down and go against the law by protesting during the section 144 in force. We know how to abide by the rules. Our senior leader Deve Gowda also stopped us from doing so when the permission was denied. He believes in following rules of the country.”
“There is going to be a ‘Peace March’ on July 21 which would follow the same as planned for the previous one. Other than BJP, Congress and PFI, people from other organizations, religious leaders, Communist party workers, Raithasangha workers are expected to be part of the event.”
When asked why BJP, Congress and PFI were not invited, he said, “We all know that they are the reason for the communal clashes happening in DK. So it would be meaningless inviting them.”
Ramganesh,Shreenath Rai, Ramakrishna Shetty, Akshith Suvarna and Ramiza were present.