SHIVAMOGGA: BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Tuesday said the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha on Sunday night was an act of the "Kerala model of terror".
He also demanded that the incident should not be treated as an isolated individual case but an act of terror.
Harsha was a dedicated Bajrang Dal activist who lived and died for Hindutva, Surya told reporters after meeting his parents here.
He added that growing Islamic fundamentalism in Karnataka claimed the life of Harsha.
"This is not the first time that we are witnessing these kinds of murders in Karnataka. This is a Kerala model of terror," he alleged.
According to him, organisations like Popular Front of India (PFI), Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and Campus Front of India were behind such incidents in Karnataka and other parts of the country.
"My appeal to the government is that this is not a murder but an act of terror. Don't investigate it under Section 302 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) treating it as murder. Book the criminals under the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act. We need to tell the country," Surya said.
He asked the government not to allow anyone float stories like searching the background of the murders as that will divert the course of investigation.
"These murders are not done for personal reasons. This was done only because Harsha was working for the cause of Hindutva. Therefore, this is not murder but an act of terror. All these organisations are having networks with other states. PFI, KFD, Campus Front of India, SDPI, and all these kinds of organisations have networks with Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan," Surya alleged.
According to him, those who have killed Harsha and other right-wing workers, were only the supari' (hired) killers whereas their masterminds work behind the scene.
Harsha was murdered by a gang of at least six people whereas police suspect the involvement of many more.
The incident led to arson, violence and vandalism in certain parts of Shivamogga leading to clamping of prohibitory orders under section 144 of the CrPC and declaring a holiday in schools and colleges.
Meanwhile, scores of Bajrang Dal activists scuffled with police in Nagpur on Tuesday during a protest organised by the outfit against the killing of a 28-year-old man in Shivamogga district in neighbouring Karnataka a couple of days ago.
Bajrang Dal activist Harsha was stabbed to death on Sunday night and Karnataka police have so far arrested six people.
The fracas at the protest in Badkas Chowk here during the day started after police stopped Bajrang Dal activists from setting an effigy on fire, an official said.
Police resorted to mild cane charge to bring the situation under control, he added.