Mangaluru, Nov 13: Demanding judicial probe into the clashes that occurred in Madikeri on the occasion of Tipu Jayanti on Tuesday, Dakshina Kannada district unit of SDPI held a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office here on Thursday demanding proper legal action against culprits responsible for the clashes.

Addressing protestors participating in the protest, SDPI state committee member Jaleel Krishnapura said that Kodagu MLAs belonging to the BJP such as K G Bopaiah, Appachu Ranjan and Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha, who gave a call for agitation in opposition to Tipu Jayanti celebration, were directly responsible for the clashes that occurred as a result of the violent protest.
The clashes were sparked by stone pelting by RSS goondas led by BJP MLAs, with help from some of the police personnel. It was a pre-planned conspiracy to undermine the state government, minorities and supporters of Tipu in the state. Even the circumstantial death of Sangh Parivar activist Kuttappa is being termed as “murder” by BJP MLA Boppaiah to provoke further incidents, he said.
He said that the police department was equally responsible for the Madikeri clashes as Sangh Parivar, and urged the police department and the government to take cognisance of the clashes and take strict legal action against the ones responsible for them.
In his introductory address, SDPI district secretary Anwar Sadath Bajathoor said that the BJP trying to divide the society along communal lines in the name of Tipu Sultan. BJP MLA Boppaiah and others deliberately made inflammatory statements to provoke communal clashes and disrupt the peace in Kodagu district. The Sangh Parivar goondas tried to attack Tipu supporters who were peacefully going to participate in the Tipu Jayanti programme. Moreover, they tried to claim that Sangh Parivar activist Kuttappa was murdered by Tipu supporters, he said, adding that the police department had not made adequate security arrangements in Madikeri which showed their inefficiency in maintaining law and order situation in the state.
He also criticised the BJP and Sangh Parivar forces for making baseless accusations against writer Girish Karnad, who had opined that Bengaluru International Airport should be renamed after ruler Tipu Sultan.
‘Bandh an attempt to spark riots’
SDPI district committee member Riyaz Farangipete said that it was clear that the bandh called by Sangh Parivar on Friday was an attempt to spark communal riots in the coastal districts. The police department should realise this and not give opportunity for rioting to happen, he said.
He gave a call to boycott the bandh on Friday condemning Tipu Jayanti celebrations by the state government.
Meanwhile, Sangh Parivar leaders on Thursday withdrew bandh call and said that they only stage protests on Friday instead of day-long bandh.