MANGALURU: The ‘Trishul Deeksha’ of activists of pro-Hindu outfits held at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) office in Mangaluru, on the occasion of Ayudha Puja, has invited criticism from various quarters, prompting Mangaluru City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar to instruct his department to verify the matter.
It may be recalled that as many as 150 activists of VHP and Bajrang Dal were given ‘trishuls’ during Ayudha Pooja, under the leadership of VHP Mangaluru divisional secretary Sharan Pumpwell and Bajrang Dal leader Raghu Sakleshpura at the VHP office in Kadri. Similar training camps were held in Udupi, as well as some other taluks of Dakshina Kannada, and the new members were allegedly asked to “make use of trishul”.
Sharan told TNIE that it is an annual programme observed by the organisation, which could not be held for two years owing to the pandemic. “It is organised as per law where we symbolically offer ‘trishuls’ to new members. This is a training camp for the new activists and they are given ‘deeksha’ here. It is not a weapon and nobody can be harmed by it. We have not conducted the event at a public place. Trishul is given to the activists, motivating them to work and fight for the organisation,” he said.
Earlier, talking to reporters, Sharan said they had not given “deeksha using grenades or bombs”, but gave “trishuls to protect the religion, as well as themselves”. Meanwhile, the commissioner told reporters that the organisers have stated that they held the programme every year, but he has instructed the headquarters’ ACP to verify it.
The photographs of the programme which went viral on social media were criticised by netizens. Congress leader Lavanya Ballal tweeted, “Action-BSBommai’s tactic support to moral policing, Reaction-Bhajrang Dal conducting Trishul diksha to all party members. Welcome to the state sponsored goondaraj of Karnataka.”