Bajrang Dal activists took their moral policing to new heights by dictating who should and should not participate in a programme planned at Mangalore on Friday.
Pejawar Mutt senior pontiff Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji was forced to skip the release of the second edition of the Quran which was translated to Kannada following protests by Bajrang Dal activists.
The book release programme was organised by the Forum for Humanity and Yuvavahini at Town Hall. Varthabharathi editor Abdussalam Puttige had translated the Quran to Kannada. However, right wing vigilantes were irked with the invitation which mentioned that the Pejawar Seer would release the book. Bajrang Dal activists staged a protest in front of the house of Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Pradeep Kumar Kalkura at Mallika Layout on Friday morning.
Forum for Humanity convenor Umar U H told Express that the Pejawar Seer had booked a flight ticket from Hyderabad in order to participate in the programme. On arriving at Mangalore Airport, he went to Raichur instead to attend another programme after learning about the protest.
St Aloysius College lecturer Ganesh Amin Sankamar replaced the Seer and released the book.