Invoke KCOCA against Hubballi violence accused: Muthalik

Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik has demanded the State government to invoke Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) against those arrested in Old Hubballi violence case, and to arrest 1,000 people who were involved in the violence on that day.

Terming the incident of stone pelting by Muslim groups at the Indi Pump Circle in Old Hubballi on April 16 as a pre-planned one, Muthalik said, “more than 2,000 people gathered in just a couple of minutes, and they came from distant areas like Mantur Road, Gopanakoppa, and Ganeshpet. It was a plan to frighten the police and Hindus, on the lines of D J Halli-K G Halli incident in Bengaluru.”

During his visit to Old Hubballi on Friday, Muthalik told media persons that AIMIM and Congress were behind the incident, while WhatsApp status was just a reason. Muthalik visited the Old Hubballi Police Station and Diddi Hanumanth Temple at which stones were hurled.

“Muezzin Wasim Pathan, who has been arrested, is associated with Razak Academy, and the Rebuild Babar Masjid organisations. Those who were involved in violence should be jailed under KCOCA, and the government should show guts in this regard.

Many people are still absconding, and at least 1,000 people should be arrested in this case. We are ready to even give their names to the police,” he said.

Attack on a temple shows that the mentality of Ghajni, Ghori, and Tipu Sultan is still alive. Such incidents happen because the government did not take suitable action. The government should invoke KCOCA in such cases, failing which the Hindu community would teach a befitting lesson to the government as well as to the perpetrators, Muthalik added.

‘Arrest Cong leaders’

Muthalik said, Congress leaders Altaf Halwoor and Altaf Kittur were also responsible for the violence, and they should also be arrested. They are staging a drama after the incident, he charged.

There was nothing wrong with the WhatsApp status. There were examples of saffron flag displayed atop mosque or Muslims wearing saffron topi in Bengaluru. If they were angry with the WhatsApp status, what might be the level of anger Hindus had when their temple was attacked?

On the lines of Kashmir, Abhishek Hiremath was tortured, and there was a conspiracy to make Hindus flee. Is it Pakistan or Afghanistan? Such incidents cannot be tolerated, Muthalik noted.

He also observed that the police controlled the mob efficiently, and prevented D J Halli K G Halli-like incident.

On loudspeakers

“Sound pollution by loudspeakers of mosques has not yet stopped. The respective deputy commissioners have been urged to take action before May 1, failing which loudspeakers would be used at temples and mutts to play bhajans at 5:00 am from May 9,” Muthalik said.

Giving notices to religious places is just an eyewash. Sound pollution from mosques should be stopped first, and then police should come to temples. Otherwise, there would be a conflict, he added.

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