Hindu outfits spreading false rumours to disrupt peace, says Dalit leader

Udupi, Feb 2: Kanchinadka Nagarika Hitarakshana Vedike president and Dalit leader Lokesh K said that his organisation would not allow any kind of peace-disrupting activities attempting to spoil the communal harmony of Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities living in Kanchinadka Padubidri in Udupi taluk.

Addressing a press conference at Padubidri on Sunday, he said that at times when the communal harmony was provoked, religious leaders of all communities should get together to resolve the situation in an amicable way.

On January 29, rumours were doing rounds that a flag of Sunni Students Federation (SSF) was planted in the premises of Raghavendra Mutt in Kanchinadka. Soon after, Hindutva leaders contacted the local leaders in Kanchinadka and were not averse to creating a communal clash without finding out the veracity of the claim. In reality, no such SSF flag had been found in the Mutt, he said.

He said that the same Hindutva organisation had spread false rumours of a cow's head thrown next to a Tulasikatte in the yard of a house belonging to the Hindu community. Although people from different communities are living in harmony in this town, there are external forces who are trying to disrupt the communal peace, he claimed.

He urged the Hindutva groups to stop their attempts to spark communal clashes by spreading false rumours in the town. If rumours are spread, the elders of the town should resolve it together without heeding to external forces, he appealed.

Mr Lokesh also said that there was a large network of ganja dealers operating in the region and the police had not taken any action to crackdown on them till date. They are another hindrance to the peace-keeping activities in Kanchinadka limits, he complained, urging the police department to take strict action against those dealing with ganja.