Mangaluru: DYFI staged a protest in front of the DC office on August 25, demanding the arrest of Sharan Pumpwell in regard to the assault in Attavar on August 24.
Addressing the protesters, DYFI leader Munir Katipalla said that on August 24, a youth was thrashed after stripping his clothes and tying him to an electric pole. “This is an inhumane act. The DYFIcondemns it.” He further said that the police commissionerate office is just 2 km away from the place of assault but the police reached there after an hour. If such incidents occur in a busy place in the city, where youth are being tied to electric poles, stripped and thrashed in public, how can the people depend on the police for protection? he questioned.
“When there was election, all the politicians joined hands with us and held a communal harmony meet, assuring to curb the immoral policing in the district. The people of DK trusted the politicians and the Congress party came to power. But after 2 years, the Congress is unable to curb the immoral policing in the district.”
He further said, “The assault on the youth on August 24 by Hindu activists is an assault to Siddaramaiah because being the Chief minister he is unable to put an end on the immoral policing. From 2008, immoral policing has been increasing day-by-day. In 2008, there were only 68 cases of immoral policing but now it has increased to 150. In Mangaluru, there are a number of police. Why are they hesitant to take action against such people who try to create communal violence in the district?”
“Now, the Hindu activists have threatened the girl to change her statement and forced her to file a false complaint against Shakir. She called a press meet and briefed the media that Shakir pulled her inside the car and the public came for her help. If the public came to her rescue, then why were the Hindu activists shouting at her? Why was she hiding her face with fear? Why was the press meet held in Sharan Pumpwell’s office? This is a half-baked story which should be investigated. This shows Sharan Pumpwell is behind this assault. He should be arrested,” he added.
“MLA Moideen Bava and other politicians went to see Shakir in the hospital, which is for their publicity; they are not concerned about Shakir. In a programme, a Sangh Parivar leader said that all the Muslims are not cattle traffickers but all the cattle traffickers are Muslims; we say that Bajrang Dal is born for immoral policing. We are not blaming anyone but all those who are involved in immoral policing are Bajrangis. The Bajrang Dal activists cannot digest when a Hindu girl talks to a Muslim youth. But when their Hindu brother Sundar Malekudiya was assaulted by another Hindu brother, why did they not protest?” he questioned.Munir demanded the girl to withdraw the false complaint filed on innocent Shakir. “A thorough investigation should be done and whoever is involved in the assault should be punished severely,” he added.
Dayananda Shetty, Rafiq, B M Madav, Santhosh Bajal, Vasudev Uchil and others were also present.
