India a battleground for Hindu fascists and Muslim fundamentalists: Darga

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Suresh)
March 17, 2015

Mangaluru, Mar 17: This country is turning into a huge battleground for Hindu fascist forces and Muslim fundamentalists, and people are becoming victims to this. Religious fascism spread by communal forces is more dangerous than racial fascism. If this is allowed to grow, the country will become another Germany, said Kannada journalist Ramjan Darga.

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Speaking at the book release of the Kannada translation of A G Noorani’s ‘The RSS and the BJP: A Division of Labour’ by Suresh Bhat Bakrabail here on Monday, he said that the RSS was propagating a divisive concept while was directly contradictory to the belief of an ‘inclusive culture’ which was propagated by the likes of Buddha, Kabeer, Guru Nanak and others saints ages ago. There is no ‘Hindu’ culture in Bhagawat Gita, Mahabharata or Ramayana. The concept of being a ‘Hindu’ is a geographical concept which was derived from the river Sindh, and did not refer to a religion. The culture of Mussolini and Hitler is RSS culture – this is not Hindu culture, he said.

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He said that it was V D Savarkar who brought the concept of Hindutva in Hindu religion and during the time of demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, this concept was used to divide the society. “Our country has a vast heritage which opposes this ‘hate culture’. And the culture propagated by the RSS and its political wing BJP is contradictory to our heritage. It is those who do not want the age-old tradition of togetherness to exist, who are trying to break the communal harmony in the country,” he said, adding that the division was made possible since we neglected to teach our children the importance of this land and its heroes.

He also stated that innocent Muslims were being controlled by few Muslim fundamentalists in the country.

The society we are living in is one filled with turbulence. We should reflect what kind of society we are leaving behind for our next generation. Until we understand that religious fascism is dangerous, incidents of communal hatred will continue to occur, he said.

He said that the book translated by Suresh Bhat Bakrabail is an eye-opener. Those who reads the book can never become a communal person, he said.

Speaking after releasing the book, senior journalist and media advisor to the Chief Minister of Karnataka Dinesh Amin Mattu said that the biggest trait of RSS was its hypocrisy. The acts of RSS are well-strategised, which is why it places different types of communalism in front of people. Although it talks about Hindutva, it has an ulterior political motive, which is why it backs only members from the BJP, he said.

He said that the only way to end the caste system was to collectively boycott religious centres which practiced casteism and untouchability.

The programme was organised by Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike, Mangaluru and Ladai Prakashana Gadag. K L Ashok, Basavaraj Sulibhavi from Ladai Prakashana and others were present on the occasion.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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News Network
December 7,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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