Mangalore, Feb 12: During his visit to the city on Wednesday, Home Minister of Karnataka K J George said that few politically vested interests were exploiting the people of Ullal by spreading false rumours to disrupt the peace and spark clashes in the region ahead of elections.
Speaking to mediapersons at district Congress office here on Wednesday, he said that the same anti-social elements were trying to portray minor untoward incidents in the region as communal unrest for political gains.
It is upto the government and the Home Ministry to maintain law and order situation and look after the safety of the people in the state.
The police department has been pro-active and handled the situation well by undertaking preventive measures and arresting few accused, he said, stressing that the first priority of the Home Ministry was to ensure that peace was restored in Ullal region.
On the allegation that the police had barged into the homes of innocent residents of Ullal and brutalised them on false charges, the Home Minister assured that the innocent arrested in connection with the tense situation would not be penalised.
“Our next priority is to punish the wrong-doers who have indulged in sparking unrest in the district. The police are always ready to prevent clashes from occurring and have taken necessary measures in preventing the tense situation from taking a worse turn as a result of few untoward incidents in Ullal. They have investigated the matter and also arrested few accused responsible for sparking the unrest,” he said, adding that he would instruct the police authorities to take tough and gritty measures to calm the situation.
“As party leaders, we should be careful not to give rise to problematic situations ahead of elections. As Congress members, we should avert attempts to disrupt harmony in any part of the district,” he advised the Congress members.
Speaking on the occasion, Mangalore South MLA J R Lobo placed the need for strengthening the recently-established police commissionerate in Mangalore before the Home Minister. He stressed the need for additional officers in various units of the police department in the district, which lacks adequate personnel. He appealed to the minister for premises to build a new jail in the city for convicts, as well as for living quarters for police personnel. He said that video conferencing facility should be started immediately in the court and jail complexes in the city.
Mr Lobo also appealed to the home minister to withdraw candidates from contesting in elections who had a criminal background.
Congress committee district-in-charge Ibrahim Kodichal laid the need to hold a district-level reconciliation meeting with district leaders, administrative authorities and political leaders to chalk out a permanent solution to maintain peace in the district.
Comments
Add new comment