Ullal residents withdraw their poll boycott after assurances by UT Khader

Mangalore, Apr 14: The residents of Kodi, Kotepura and Mogaveerpatna in Ullal, who had decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections few days ago as a mark of protest against the neglect of political parties in looking into the arrests of innocent residents' in the aftermath of communal disturbances in Ullal earlier, have now decided to withdraw their boycott and vote in the elections.

Addressing a press conference in the presence of Minister for Health and Family Welfare and local MLA U T Khader here on Monday, Abdul Rahman, president of a committee representing residents of Muslim community of Ullal, said that the residents of Kodi and Kotepura had decided to withdraw their boycott after the assurances given by the minister. “Although the residents have faced police harassment during the arrest of several innocent people in the aftermath of communal clashes in the surrounding areas, we have decided to participate in the elections and exercise our franchise. We have decided to pressurise the government in this regard through the local ministers and MLAs,” he said.

Seeking the release of innocents among the ones arrested by the police, he said that nearly 69 residents of Ullal had been taken into custody following the clashes, out of which, 47 were residents of Kodi.

He said that the only demand of the residents of Kodi and Kotepura was that the cases slapped on the innocent people should be withdrawn.

Speaking on the occasion, U T Khader said that following their appeal and call to boycott the elections, he had held discussions with them and convinced them to participate and exercise their votes. After discussions, the group representing the residents of Ullal has decided to explore alternate options to seek the withdrawal of cases against the arrested, and to decide the further course of action after voting in the elections. Rather than what happened earlier, the focus should be on the future plan of action, he said, adding that his priority was to ensure justice to those who had faced injustice by the police department.

Assuring the affected residents to take up the issue with the Home Ministry, he said that he had spoken to the higher police authorities to look into the matter in a systematic and legal way. There should be a system in the department and it is not favourable to arrest people and book them under cases without verifying the charges against them, he clarified.

Ullal residents Abdul Latheef, Anwar Hussain, Kunhi Monu and others were present.