Dakshina Kannada MP and State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Sunday likened the attempt by activists of Campus Front of India (CFI) to picket his office in the Mangaluru district office complex on Saturday to an act of terrorism.
“There are legal processes to get relief upon one being arrested,” he said, referring to the claims made by CFI activists that their picket attempt was to protest against the arrest of Popular Front of India leader Ravoof Sharief by the Enforcement Directorate.
Definitely picketing the MP’s office was not the mode to get relief, he said.
The act of attempt to lay a siege to his office smacked of a larger conspiracy to spread terror in the region, Mr. Kateel told reporters in Udupi. The recent wall writings in Mangaluru lauding terrorist organisations too was a part of this conspiracy, Mr. Kateel said and added that the government would sternly deal with such acts.
Speaking about the just concluded elections to the gram panchayats, Mr. Kateel reiterated his earlier claims of BJP supporters gaining hold in at least 80 % of the panchayats in the State. Though the elections are fought on apolitical lines, the BJP has extended support to upright candidates, he said.
The Opposition Congress, Mr. Kateel said, was on oxygen support to stay alive. The party was unable to find booth level workers leave alone finding right candidates to extend support, he said.
Bid foiled
On Saturday, the Campus Front of India activists made an attempted to picket the office of Mr. Kateel. The police took some activists into custody and foiled it.
The CFI activists assembled in large numbers near the gate of the district office complex. Raising slogans against the Union government, they made an attempt to enter the complex. While pushing them out, the police took some of the activists into custody. They released the activists later.
Condemning the action of CFI activists, BJP State spokesperson Ganesh Karnik said that Ravoof was arrested as an amount of more than ₹ 2 crore was deposited in his account from Oman and Qatar and this amount was used for anti-national activities.
The PFI continues to associate with anti-national forces and this needs to be banned. It was foolishness on the part of CFI activists to picket the office of Mr. Kateel, he said.
In a tweet, district in-charge and Fisheries Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said that the police have registered a case against the CFI activists.
Tough action will be taken against all those who take the law into their hands, he said.
