JOIN USMP Nalin Kumar Kateel has alleged that Mangaluru South MLA and other Congress leaders are behind the attack on fishermen in Bengre in Mangaluru.
Addressing reporters at the district BJP office here on Thursday, he said that the fishermen, who were returning to Bengre in five separate buses after taking part in the fisheries convention organised by BJP in Malpe, were stopped by some miscreants on Tuesday night. "Some people came on bikes, stopped the last bus and manhandled the people inside the bus, including the women. The attackers were carrying lethal weapons, sticks and stones with them and thrashed several people. Three persons, Lokesh, Bipin and Rahul, were seriously injured in the attack. The injured were admitted to a hospital as two of them sustained serious head injuries.
'Police should act'
Accusing the district Congress leaders of pressurising the police department, Nalin Kumar Kateel demanded an impartial probe into the incident. "The wrongdoers should be arrested. BJP will totally cooperate with the investigation," he said.
He pointed out that the hospital was instructed by the police department to discharge the three seriously injured persons on Thursday. Condemning the gesture, he questioned the police department as to what made them issue directives for the discharge of the injured from the hospital so soon. He meanwhile accused Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo of pressurising the police department. Condemning the move, the MP said that one should not play politics over the lives of people.
"Also, an in-depth investigation should be conducted on the illicit drug mafia, illegal houses and illegal immigrants dwelling in Bengre area," he said.
The explanation given by Mangaluru South MLA was that the people in the bus were raising loud slogans. Whether raising victory slogans 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' is an offense? Are we in Pakistan? Nalin sought to know.
The MLA and the Home Minister have furnished false information on the floor of the legislative assembly on the issue, the MP said.
'Communal tension'
"The overwhelming response to BJP national president Amit Shah's visit in the three coastal districts has irked the Congress party and has also created panic among Congress leaders. Fearing a humiliating defeat in the upcoming elections, they have been carrying out false propaganda on Amit Shah. Some Congress leaders even went to the extent to say that the BJP national president's visit would result in communal clashes in the coastal districts. However, the assault on fishermen in Bengre is evident to the fact that Congress MLA and leaders have been creating clashes and after tagging the incidents as communal, they are making it appear that BJP leaders are responsible for the untoward incidents," he said.
District BJP president Sanjiv Mathandur, general secretary Captain Brijesh Chowta and treasurer Sanjay Prabhu were present among others.