The brutal murder of Hindu activist Deepak Rao allegedly by four Muslim youth and the death of Bashir who was allegedly attacked by Hindu right wing activists in coastal district of Dakshina Kannada is the constant reminder of the communal flare up in the poll bound Karnataka which is crucial for both the ruling Congress and the major Opposition BJP.
47-year-old Bashir who was brutally assaulted allegedly by right wing Hindu activists on January 3 died on Sunday in a private hospital at Mangaluru which has been under series of communal violence which has threatened the very fabric of harmony in Karnataka.
Both Coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada have been under the spate communal violence which started in Uttara Kannada after the death of 21- year-old Paresh Mesta at Honnavar town on December 8 had triggered a massive violence. Another death of al alleged Hindu activist Deepak Rao and Bashir has turned these two districts into communal violence prone ahead of Assembly polls in the State.
Bashir (47), who was brutally assaulted, died at a private hospital at Mangaluru on Sunday.
The death comes on the same day as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s whirlwind tour of communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district.
According to police the attack took place on the night after BJP worker Deepak Rao was hacked to death at nearby Katipalla allegedly by four Muslim youth. Bashir’s assailants, upon their arrest by police on Saturday, reportedly confessed that the attack was an act of revenge.
The BJP is fighting a crucial battle for power to re enter the south is finding this as an opportunity.
The saffron party is demanding a ban on PFI and also demanded the resignation of district in charge Minister Ramanath Rai. Yeddyurappa, the State BJP president who is playing a major and decisive political battle in his career directly blamed the Congress Government and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the murders of 21 Hindu activist in the State.
BJP insiders say they have consolidated in these districts as these incidents have dented the image of the ruling congress ahead of polls. Post demolitions of Babri Masjid, these districts have always been BJP’s forte and will continue to grow its influence. After Gujarat, BJP National President Amit Shah has shifted his focus on Karnataka and steered the docile State leaders to fight a decisive battle to enter the south.
Yeddyurappa said “there is no law and order in the State. Chief Minister is directly responsible for the death of Hindu activists. We demand the ban on PFI which is responsible for the murders of Hindu activists. This Government is most corrupt and filed in all fronts.”
BJP’s Parivarthana Yatra led by Yeddyurappa has so far traversed in more than 140 constituencies out of 224.
Meanwhile Siddaramaiah who has been given the full control of the party by the high command to regain power said there is no anti-incumbency against his Government. He said “There is no anti-incumbency for Congress in the State. Our Government has met 155 assurances out of 165 that were announced in our manifesto. You (BJP) cannot regain power in the State”.
“Karnataka is the land of Basavanna, Kuvempu, Kanaka and Sufi saints. So, the Mission 150 of BJP will not be realised. The dream of BS Yeddyurappa (State BJP chief) will remain a dream. No Modi and Shah magic will work in Karnataka.”
“We believe in secularism and are committed to it, while the BJP is a communal party. This is the ideological difference between the BJP and the Congress. The fight would be between communalism and secularism,” Siddaramaiah said.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the Government would take stringent action against organisations instigating “communal sentiments” in the State. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi are descending in January to set a high decibel tone for their parties to gear up for elections.