Image credits: daijiworld.com

Tensions prevailed in the town of Puttur in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district on Sunday August 15 as workers of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) obstructed a chariot procession during Independence Day celebrations organized by the Kabaka gram panchayat.

Instructions had been given to every gram panchayat to take out Independence Day chariots on behalf of the government. Accordingly, the Kabaka gram panchayat had made necessary arrangements for a vehicle to hold a procession in the town. When the President of the panchayat and Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) were about to flag off the vehicle, members of the SDPI objected to the photograph of freedom fighter VD Savarkar being displayed on the vehicle. Furthermore, the SDPI workers insisted on displaying the photo of Tipu Sultan, according to sources.

A verbal argument ensued between the SDPI workers and the organisers.

When the argument escalated into a fist fight, the local police arrived on the scene and dispersed the SDPI activists, bringing the situation under control.

SDPI a political arm of PFI

The SDPI is a political outfit of the Popular Front of India (PFI), a notorious extremist Islamic organisation, which has major branches across the nation apart from being 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.

Puttur MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor visited Kabaka gram panchayat after coming to know about the incident. He condemned the act of the SDPI workers and instructed the police to arrest them immediately.

‘”Of late, communal forces are active in Kabaka as most of them have contact with Kerala organizations. They are involved in disturbing the harmony of society. The act of obstructing the movement of Independence Day Chariot is condemnable. There is a clear hand of certain organizations of Kerala behind this act. The government has to take this matter seriously,” Matandoor said.

“Investigation of this incident needs to be handed over to the NIA and the vested interests behind the act should be brought to light. We will not give the opportunity to turn Kabaka into another Kashmir,” he said.

MLA Matandoor said that local police are informed of the incident and the same will be brought to the notice of the home minister.

Police arrest three in connection with incident

Later in the day, the police arrested three people in connection with the incident.

The arrested accused have been identified as K Aziz (43), a resident of Vidyapura, Kabaka, Shamir (40), a resident of Mura, Kabaka, and Abdul Rehman (34), a resident of Kodipady village.

They have been arrested on charges of obstruction of official duty of government servants and under others sections of the IPC.

According to eyewitnesses on the scene, the accused Aziz, Naushad, Shamir, Haris, Addu, Thousif, Shafi and others, allegedly violating the Covid-19 guidelines, desisted from celebrating Independence Day and caused damage to the photograph of Bharat Mata and public property.

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