Bengaluru: On the eve of Ram Navami, alleged members of Hindutva outfit Sri Rama Sene vandalised fruit carts belonging to Muslims in Karnataka’s Dharwad. Video of Dharwad police looking on as saffron scarf-clad men threw down dozens of watermelons from pushcarts belonging to Muslims near the Nuggekeri Hanuman temple has hence gone viral. 24 hours after the incident, four people were arrested by the Dharwad police on Sunday.
“Based on the victim’s complaint we have taken up a case and an investigation is underway. He has only described the attackers as a group of 8-10 men. We cannot disclose further details since the probe is underway. No person or organisation has been mentioned in the complaint,” Krishnakanth, Dharwad’s Superintendent of Police told ThePrint.
The group of saffron scarf-clad men on Saturday, however, claimed they were members of Sri Rama Sene. The Hindutva outfit’s chief Pramod Muthalik too did not distance himself or his organisation from the incident. “The Muslim vendors there were given notice almost a month ago that they shouldn’t sell near temples. They may have been our workers but I am yet to speak with the local unit,” Pramod Muthalik, President of Sri Rama Sene told The Print.
Also Read: ‘We’re against interfaith relationships’: Sri Ram Sene offshoot suspected in Belagavi murder
What transpired on Saturday
Nabisab Goususab Killedar — a pushcart vendor who has been selling fruits near the temple for 15 years said, “A group of 8-10 men came and suddenly started destroying my fruits. Even as I pleaded, they went on a rampage. By the time I could put away one fruit, they had destroyed ten already. Five quintals of watermelon that I had bought for Rs 1,700Hindutva per quintal was destroyed. This is my livelihood. All I could do was cry as they destroyed my livelihood,” Kiledar said on Saturday evening.
In the videos shot by alleged Sri Rama Sene members themselves – one saffron scarf-clad man is seen telling a policeman that they had told Muslim vendors that they would destroy their carts if they didn’t stop doing business near the temple. “We had given them a deadline of two weeks; we had also warned them to remove their carts or face the consequence but they didn’t pay heed. These four carts belonging to Muslims were given a warning. They didn’t remove their cart and we followed through,” a Hindutva outfit member is seen telling a policeman in uniform after destroying the fruits.
Following the video of the vandalism going viral, citizens as well as political leaders from Congress and JD(S) have extended financial assistance to Killedar. The Dharwad police on Sunday detained one Sri Rama Sene member for questioning.
The vandalism comes at a time when Hindutva outfits have been calling for a boycott of Muslim-run businesses. Opposition leaders in Karnataka termed Saturday’s incident as ‘an act of terror.’
“What Sri Rama Sene has done to poor Muslim fruit vendors at Dharwad’s Hanuman temple is equal to an act of terror. People who really worship Rama will never commit such heinous crimes. What is outfit is doing is an insult to Lord Ram,” Dinesh Gundu Rao, AICC Secretary tweeted.
Also read: ‘Bhajans to counter azaan’: Sri Ram Sene takes cue from MNS, wants mosque loudspeakers banned
A string of measures against Muslims
In recent times, various Hindutva outfits like Sri Rama Sene, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Hindu Jagaran Vedike, Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been taking turns calling for the boycott of Muslim businesses with many BJP leaders like national General Secretary CT Ravi, legislators Basanagouda Patil Yatnal backing such calls. Ministers in the Bommai government like Home Minister Araga Jnanendra and Primary and Secondary education minister BC Nagesh have repeatedly attributed calls for boycotting Muslim businesses as a “reaction” to the Muslim community’s opposition to the Karnataka High Court’s order on the hijab issue.
(Edited by: Manoj Ramachandran)
Also read: BJP slams Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw for ‘growing divide’ in Karnataka remark, she has ‘faith in govt’