The Mangaluru police on Thursday issued notices to 44 persons under section 107 of the CrPC, after pro-Hindu groups called for a “hartal” on February 25 to oppose Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's scheduled visit to Mangaluru and his proposed speech on communal harmony at "Karavali Souharda” rally organised by the CPM's district unit.
Police commissioner Chandra Sekhar said that no one had the right to call for a bandh. “We have issued notices to 44 persons under section 107 of CrPC and sought clarification on the type of bandh in the city. The Supreme Court has banned people agitating on the streets or giving a bandh call. We will provide adequate security for the rally,” said Sekhar.
While the police warn against holding a bandh, the saffron brigade, which is busy mobilising support from various trade associations and unions, insists it is a “hartal”. Pro-Hindu groups including Sri Rama Sene, Bajrang Dal, Hindu Jagarana Vedike and Vishwa Hindu Parishad say it is an irony that Vijayan has been invited to speak on communal harmony.
“The Communist Party in Kerala is guilty of killing hundreds of innocent people. Vijayan's speech will disrupt peace and harmony in coastal Karnataka. Even the Dharmadom constituency from where Vijayan won the 2016 elections has witnessed a large number of political murders. At least eight Hindu activists have been killed ever since Vijayan took over as the CM,” says M.B. Puranik, working president of VHP's state unit.
Raising questions over Vijayan's secular credentials, leaders of the saffron brigade alleged that more than 200 Hindus had been killed in Kerala since 1999 due to Communist violence.
Meanwhile, a group of citizens under the banner of Abhimata Bengaluru met the DGP in Bengaluru and urged him to take the Sangh Parivar leaders into preventive custody. “Though the Unity rally has been organised by the CPM, it has the support of human rights activists and intellectuals to oppose the Hindu terror activities in Coastal Karnataka. The resistance to Vijayan is due to the desperation of Sangh Parivar for not being able to spread terror in Kerala under Pinarayi's rule. This bandh is undemocratic,” said the memorandum submitted to the DGP office.
Interestingly, the secular activists chose to play the caste card to defend the rally. “Vijayan belonging to Ezhava caste has a natural connect with Karavali. The Sangh Parivar is misleading the youths from the backward classes and using them for communal clashes and for moral policing. These youths and many Muslim families have been victimised by these forces, yet the police have failed to ban these outfits. Under these circumstances, Pinarayi's speech is an urgent need in the region," added the memorandum.
The saffron brigade has planned a protest on Friday ahead of the Saturday's rally. "If Pramod Mutalik was banned from making speeches in Dakshina Kannada alleging it would incite violence, why should Vijayan's speech be allowed, as we suspect it would incite communal tension,” ask protesters.
