Karnataka: Members Of Radical Outfit SDPI Disrupt I-Day Procession in Dakshina Kannada District Over Savarkar's Photo

Three Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) members were arrested for disrupting an Independence Day procession at Kabaka, in Puttur taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, on Sunday (15 August), reports New Indian Express.

The gram panchayat had taken out a Swaraj Rath Yatra to celebrate the 75th Independence Day. The portraits of freedom fighters were installed in rath and BJP's icon Veer Savarkar's photo was one among them.

As soon as the rath yatra started, local SDPI workers allegedly staged a protest and obstructed the movement. They demanded the gram panchayat authorities should immediately install the portrait of Tipu Sultan. They raised slogans against Veer Savarkar and gram panchayat.

A video clip of the protest shows a woman gram panchayat member trying to convince the protesters that Savarkar was also a freedom fighter.

The police immediately rushed to the spot and quelled the protest. They have taken Azeez, Shameer and Abdul Rahman into custody and later sent them to judicial custody.

Reacting to the incident state BJP Chief Nalin Kumar Kateel stated that the SDPI activists have been arrested. "We don't tolerate Taliban style in Karnataka. I have spoken to the home minister in this regard. If they have faith in the constitution they should behave in a democratic way," he maintained.

Local MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor reacted that they won't let Kabaka village to turn into a Kashmir. Investigation is on.

It should be noted that the SDPI is a political arm of the Popular Front of India (PFI), a radical extremist Islamic outfit, which has major branches across the nation and is mainly active in the states of Karnataka and Kerala. Members of the PFI have been earlier accused and investigated for their alleged involvement in connection with terrorist activities.

With IANS Inputs