Vishwa Hindu Parishat Dakshina Kannada District president Jagadish Shenva on Sunday exhorted society to support the accused persons allegedly involved in the murder of fast food joint operator Ahmed Bashir.
Speaking at a function to release a book, “Hadedavvana Shaapa”, here, Mr. Shenva said that the VHP believed that an innocent Bashir was murdered in retaliation to the murder of another innocent Bharatiya Janata Party activist Deepak Rao on January 3.
Referring to the murder of Prashant Poojary (on October 9, 2015 in Moodbidri) and the death of Kuttappa (on November 10, 2015 in Madikeri), Mr. Shenva said that an innocent Sharath Madiwala was murdered (on July 4, 2017) a few days after the murder of Social Democratic Party of India activist Ashraf. “Then why not Bashir be murdered in revenge for the murder of innocent Deepak Rao,” he asked.
Mr. Shenva said that there was a sense of anguish in a section of society following the murder of Deepak Rao. “We are not of the kind who will react like this. But there are a section of people who are prepared for it (to murder a person in revenge). As a society its our responsibility to protect such persons,” he said. Mr. Shenva said that his statement will be widely reported and there would be cases filed against him. “But I will stand by this statement,” he said.
Reacting sharply to the statement, Democratic Youth Federation of India State president Muneer Katipalla said that Mr. Shenva should be arrested for allegedly spreading communal hatred. The State should immediately withdraw security cover given to Mr. Shenva. He said that the statement clearly showed the involvement of communal forces in the revengeful murders on communal lines reported in the district.
Meanwhile, a video clipping of Mr. Shenva’s speech was widely circulated on Facebook and WhatAspp groups. The police said that they are taking legal opinion on Mr. Shenva’s speech.
