Killing of ‘Hindus’: Shobha Karandlaje’s ‘murderous’ lies exposed

A list of “Hindu victims” prepared by firebrand BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje has triggered a controversy as she has deliberately avoided the names of several innocent Hindus murdered by saffron extremists and granted ‘martyrdom’ to a poor man, who is (fortunately) still alive.

In the wake of the murder of RSS activist Sharath Madivala in Bantwal taluk earlier this month, the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP had written to union home minister Rajnath Singh on July 8 demanding NIA probe into the murders of Hindus and Hindutva activists occurred in Karnataka.

Karandlaje had also enclosed a list of 23 “Hindus” murdered in this south Indian state in the last four years of Congress rule with her ‘communally sensational and politically significant’ letter which held “jihadist elements” responsible for all these murders.

Madam, he is still alive; kindly don’t kill him now!

The list of “murdered” Hindus begins with the name of Ashok Poojary, who according to Karandlaje, was killed in Moodbidri on September 20, 2015. However, Ashok is still alive and healthy. “What? Who murdered me? I am still alive!” responded 33-year-old Ashok when coastaldigest.com contacted him and brought Karandlaje’s bizarre claim to his notice.

Ashok Poojary and his friend Vasu Acharya, both residents of Eedu village in Karkala were attacked at Handelu near Moodbidri. The police have nabbed a few suspects in the case and slapped attempt-to-murder charge against them.

“I was working as a drummer with a local music troupe. On that fateful day we two were returning home on a motorbike after playing drums at a Chauthi programme in Kulashekhar near Mangaluru. I was riding pillion. I suffered severe head injuries when a group of six miscreants waylaid and attacked us. I was in hospital for over a month. But, now I am fine,” explained Ashok.

Suicide treated as murder

Vaman Poojary (65), who had committed suicide near his daughter’s house in Moodbidri on October 15, 2015, has also found a place in the list of murdered Hindus.

According to Karandjale, Vaman was murdered on September 20, 2015. However, he was alive for four more weeks (until committing suicide)! According to police, who had considered Vaman to be a witness in Prashant Poojary murder case, the former was not attacked by anyone.

They murdered him and put the blame on PFI

As per Karandlaje’s letter Venkatesh, a Hindu activist, was murdered on February 19, 2015 in Shivamogga. According to local police, one Manjunath was murdered on February 20, 2015 in Shivamogga. The BJP and its allies had staged protests across Shivamogga condemning the killing of Manjunath and held PFI activists responsible for the crime.

However, during investigation the police came to know that the killers – identified as Arunakumar (25), Arun (24), Dakshayinamma (40), Netravati (28) and Shwetha (20), and Sachin (23) – were relatives of the victim and had close ties with saffron groups.

Murder of Karthik Raj and shamelessness of BJP

Karandlaje has shown no hesitation to include the name of Karthik Raj in her list. An engineering graduate, Karthik Raj was murdered during his jogging routine on October 22, 2016 under the limits of Konaje police station in Mangaluru taluk.

The saffron outfits had seized this opportunity to stage a series of protest against the Karnataka government. BJP leaders including former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Prathap Simha and Karandlaje had blamed so called ‘jihadist elements’ for this murder. Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had gone on to the extent of setting entire district on fire if the police failed to catch the ‘terrorists from Kerala’, who according him had murdered Karthik Raj.

However, the arrest of the real culprits in April this year, was a tight slap in the face of BJP. The killers were the sister of the victim, her boyfriend and his younger brother. Ironically, all of them were Hindutva activists.

Drink and drive… and become a ‘martyr’!

Ravi Magali, a local leader of BJP Yuva Morcha was killed in a road mishap in Mysuru on November 4, 2016 while he was returning from a bar in an inebriated state. The list includes his name too.

Even though RSS had portrayed him as a martyr and held the so called ‘jihadists’ responsible for his death, the police had made it clear that Ravi had died due to drunken driving and not hacking as claimed by the RSS. The post-mortem report had vindicated the police version.

Murder over land row

Police have already arrested five persons in connection with the murder of BJP activist and former Hubballi Zilla Panchayat member Yogish Goudar. The accused are Basavaraja Shivappa Muttagi, Vinayak Basavaraj Kadagi, Vikram Udaykumar, Sandeep alias Sandy Somashekhar and Keerti Kumar Basavaraja Kurahatti.

The accused had also confessed that they hatched conspiracy to murder Yogish due to some land issues. However, the BJP leader has portrayed Yogish as a victim of “jihad”.

Victims of rivalry dragged into the list

The list also includes Ahswath (Attibele), C N Shrinivas (Bengaluru), Chikkathimmegowda (Bengaluru), Srinivas Prasad aka Vasu (Bommanahalli), Harish (Anekal), Mahadeva Kale (Kalaburgi), Rowdy-sheeter Ramesh Bandi (Ballari), Rajesh Kotyan (Ullal) among others. According to police sources, they were killed in separate cases of rivalry, property row and other issues. No Muslim groups had involved in these cases. However, in her letter, Karandlaje strongly suspected the involvement of activists of PFI, and KFD (which doesn’t even exist) in these murders.

Shocking forgetfulness!

Ironically, many Hindus who were brutally murdered by saffron extremists in last couple of years have found no place in Karandlaje’s list. On behalf of Kannadigas, coastaligest.com urges Karandjale to add the names following innocent “Hindus” to the list.

M M Kalburgi, veteran Kannada writer and former vice-chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi — who was known for his strong stand against superstitious practices and right-wing groups, was shot dead on August 30, 2015 at his house in Dharwad. He had received several life threats from saffron extremists.

Vinayak Baliga, a Mangaluru based RTI activist, who had exposed the alleged financial irregularities of a temple management, was brutally hacked to death on March 21, 2016 near his house. The main accused in this murder case is Naresh Shenoy aka NaMo Naresh, the undisputed leader of NaMo Brigade aka Yuva Brigade. The other accused in the case also saffron activists.

Harish Poojary, a 28-year-old youth was brutally hacked to death by a gang of miscreants on November 12, 2015 in Bantwal taluk without any provocation. The very next day Sangh Parivar imposed a violent bandh in entire Dakshina Kannada district holding Muslims of the region responsible for the murder. However, the police managed to catch the real culprits within a week. The main accused was Bhuvith Shetty, a leader of Bajrang Dal, whose only intention was to create a communal riot in the region and kill a few Muslims. His partners in the crime were also saffron activists.

Praveen Poojary, a 29-year-old BJP worker was beaten to death by a group of miscreants belonging to Hindu Jagarana Vedike at Karjike in Udupi district while he was illegally transporting cows on August 17, 2016. He had campaigned for Karandlaje in last Lok Sabha polls.

Also Read: 

PFI turned DK into ‘jihadi laboratory’: Shobha writes to Union Home Minister

Moodbidri: Key eyewitness in Bajrang Dal activist Prashant murder found dead

Karthik Raj murder: Victim’s sister, her boyfriend, his younger brother arrested

BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel threatens to set Dakshina Kannada district ablaze

Shivamogga shocker: They murdered Manjunath and put the blame on PFI

NaMo Naresh not yet arrested; we will catch him soon: Mangaluru police chief

Bajrang Dal rowdy Bhuvith Shetty among two held for murder of Harish Poojary