Ahead of the Assembly polls the Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka is boiling with communal clashes. The death of an RSS activist on Friday has sparked off communal tension in the district and the political parties have started blame game exploiting the situation.
Dakshina Kannada District is burning due to communal tension that had racked up following attack on RSS worker Sharat Madiwal on July fourth at Bantwal while preparing to return home in the night after closing his laundry shop. Madiwal succumbed to injuries in a hospital on July 8.
Union Minister for Statistics DV Sadananda Gowda who hails from this district blamed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who also holds home portfolio, responsible for the communal tension prevailing in Dakshina Kannada District following brutal murder of RSS worker and stabbing of a Bajarang Dal activists.
He said, “The Chief Minister did not hold review of law and order, instead provoked his Ministers and Congress party leaders against BJP and RSS workers.” Gowda challenged the Chief Minister to step down and allow the Centre to handle the situation. “let him (Siddaramaiah) resign if he cannot maintain law and order. If he resigns within 24 hours we will bring the situation to normalcy.”
Gowda said that Congress has became desperate over the progress made by the Union Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hence remarks and provocation were made by the Congress Ministers and leaders to flare up communal tension in the State.
Meanwhile, Bhajarang Dal activist Chiranjivi, who was stabbed during funeral procession of Sharat Madiwal on Saturday, is recovering and doctors have stated that he is out of danger.
IGP Harisekharan, who is camping in the District, has said that the situation is returning to normalcy. Police have arrested 20 people in connection with violence and stabbing of Chiranjivi.
Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Reddy has convened a meeting of religious heads to bring the situation to normalcy and communal harmony. More than 2000 Police including CRPF, Rapid Action Force (ARF) and civil police have been deployed in vulnerable places.
Police resorted to lathicharge on Saturday to disperse clashing groups of people Bantwal while the body of a slain RSS worker was being taken to his home in a procession at Kandur in Dakshina Kannada district.
The body of Sarath Madivala, who succumbed to injuries on Saturday after an attack by unidentified assailants on July 4 at Bantwal, was taken in a procession from AJ Hospital here by a large number of BJP and RSS leaders and workers.
Madivala, 28, was battling for life for three days at the hospital and died Saturday evening, hospital sources said. Police said trouble started when the procession passed BC Road, where Madivala had his laundry shop. Groups of people started pelting stones at each other and shops.
BJP leaders, including MPs Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje, were arrested during the protest and later released.
Police said security has been tightened in the communally sensitive district following the worker’s death. Prohibitory orders are in force till July 11 in Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady and Bantwal in coastal Dakshina Kannada district following recent communal clashes in some areas, according to the police. The orders were initially enforced in Bantwal from May 27 following skirmishes between two groups. later, it was extended to the four taluks as violence spread. The murder of a Social Democratic Party of India worker at Benjanapadavu in Bantwal on June 21 further escalated the tension forcing authorities to extend prohibitory orders.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also holding Home portfolio after G Parameshwar resigned, visited Mangalore on Saturday and instructed Police to take strict action against those who take law into their own hands however big they may be and irrespective of to which organisation or cast they belonged to.
Siddaramaiah said, “I have already instructed to take all steps to nab the culprits and book them under law. There will be no compromise in handling law and order in the State. Some anti-social elements are indulging in such crimes.”