Coastal Karnataka Fears Backlash For Backing BJP; A Family Attacked And Provocative Slogans Raised During ‘Victory’ Rallies

With the possibility of a Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) coalition government looking stronger after the Karnataka assembly elections delivered a fractured verdict, members of the majority community in the coastal region of the state are fearing a backlash for supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Rallies and ‘victory’ processions taken out by the new coalition party workers are reportedly targeting the majority community, indicating a growing sense of animosity. Slogans were raised against the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and BJP state leader B S Yeddyurappa at a Congress-JD(S) rally, which was provocative. A few BJP workers retorted, resulting in clashes in which two people were injured and are being treated at a local hospital at Kelinja village in Buntwal taluk. The slogans against the majority community were allegedly so inflammatory that the BJP workers resorted to attacking some of the ‘celebrants’, who were also making abusive signs at passers-by and gesticulating vehemently, according to onlookers.

After Yeddyurappa stepped down, despite BJP emerging as the single largest party, emboldened Congress-JD(S) workers have been causing a ruckus. In an incident, near the Congress office in Mangaluru city, youths belonging to a minority community raised pro-Pakistan slogans and distributed sweets to ‘celebrate’ the defeat of the BJP. Former MLA (who lost in this elections) J R Lobo and few Congress leaders including Padmanabha Amin (former corporator of the Mangaluru City Corporation) were present at these ‘celebrations’, but did nothing to stop their party workers.

The Mangaluru City Commissionerate is probing the alleged pro-Pakistan slogans raised in front of the Congress office.

A family belonging to the majority community at Mangilapaduvu village in Vitla was attacked by a group of unidentified persons suspected to be workers of political parties belonging to a particular community. Two women and three men were injured in the attack, when the marauders entered the house and beat up the men folk and threw missiles at the women. This happened when a procession was being taken out by Congress-JD(S) workers, who, however, said the family members were injured when the police started to disburse the unruly crowd.

Though the police denied a communal motive, Mangaluru MP Nalin Kumar said it is but the usual reaction of the police as they cannot do anything about the attack carried out by people closer to the Congress-JD(S) combine. “The risk factor has doubled now as both JD(S) and Congress goons have joined forces against the majority community. But if the police do not take action, we will not sit quiet,” he said.

Reacting to the accusations of attacks on majority community, Dakshina Kannada Superintendent of Police Ravikantay Gowda, said on social media that these were false reports and people should not heed such rumours. No communal clashes were reported anywhere from the district, he said.

The strange part is that the city and district has been under prohibitory orders for three days starting from 19 May, but these motorcycle rallies and political worker processions have happened during the period when the orders were in force.

It could be recalled that a few parts of the district centring around Buntwal was under prohibitory orders section 144 IPC for 56 days between 19 May and 15 July in 2017 following communal clashes. During this period, three SPs were deployed in the area, including Sudhir Reddy and Anna Malai, who was serving in Chikkamagaluru. The video of the then district incharge minister B Ramanatha Rai admonishing SP Bhushan Gulabrao Borase in the presence of Congress party workers belonging to a minority community had gone viral. This became a major embarrassment for not just Rai, but also for the Congress party.