BJP should not engage in divisive politics, work for development of Dakshina Kannada: Manjunath Bhandari

Mangaluru: KPCC working president and MLC Manjunath Bhandari urged BJP representatives not to engage in divisive politics and communal provocation, instead work together for the development and progress of Dakshina Kannada district.

He questioned whether Keerthi, who was allegedly murdered by Suhas Shetty, was not a Hindu just because he belonged to the Dalit community. For politicising the issue, the BJP is glorifying Suhas Shetty as a Hindutva leader despite his criminal background, he said.

There were five cases against Suhas Shetty, Bhandari said. "Why did the BJP then fail to condemn the murder of Keerthi, hailing from Dalit community. Is he not a Hindu?" he asked and said it was the BJP government which opened a rowdy sheeter case against Suhas. BJP MLA Harish Poonja who is showing concern for Suhas now, had not raised his voice against it then, he said.

“All of us should condemn murder and an impartial probe should be demanded to ensure that victim get justice and the accused are punished severely. However, using murder cases for communal provocation and gain should be condemned,” said Bhandari.

Coming down heavily on Pejawar seer Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji’s statement that there is no protection for Hindus in Hindustan and no protection for Hindu youths in Karnataka, the KPCC working president said “does this mean that 85% of the Hindus in the country are unsafe and will he seek the resignation of Prime Minister, Home Minister and Defence Minister, who all hail from Hindu community?”

The previous seer of Pejawar mutt Vishvesha Tirtha Swamiji in the past had lauded the help extended by the members of Muslim community to the Pejawar mutt and had even hosted Iftar for the Muslim community members. However, the present seer is engaged in political speech. Instead, he should uphold the dignity of the mutt, he said.

Provocative posts on social media

Stressing the need to check provocative posts on social media, he said he has urged the Home Minister to take action against all those who forward and post provocative messages on social media. “The DCC will meet the Commissioner of Police and Superintendent of Police to take stringent action against those who post provocative messages and also those who forward it on social media,” he said.

'No meeting with Muslims'

Bhandari clarified that Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara did not hold meeting with Muslim leaders during his visit to Mangaluru to assess the law and order situation. “When we were all in a room in Circuit House, a delegation of 30 to 40 leaders had come to meet the Home Minister. As all could not be accommodated in the room, I had asked all the leaders to be at the hall in the Circuit House, where the Minister met them. He did not hold any meeting with them. If the BJP MLAs had concern for the district, they too could have come and met the Home Minister,” he said.