MANGALURU: Hindutva group Sri Rama Sene's Karnataka president Gangadhar Kulkarni on Sunday stated that the organisation has decided to carry weapons to celebrate Hindu festivals for "protection."
Speaking to the media persons on the sidelines of a district conference in Mangaluru, Kulkarni alleged, "After Congress government came to power in Karnataka, the Jihadi elements, miscreants from Muslim community have disrupted Ganapathi Visarjan processions be it in Nagamangala or Davanagere. They have gone to an extent of pelting stones and throwing petrol bombs."
He claimed that the Congress government is directly responsible for these incidents.
"Muslim goons are openly making statements that it is their government in power," he alleged.
He further demanded resignation of Home Minister G Parameshwara and said, "State government is behind them and the home minister is irresponsible and unfit to be a home hominster who terms Nagamangala incident as accidental. Those miscreants prepared petrol bombs and created unrest during the procession. Is it accidental Mr Home Minister"
He said such statements are encouraging "Muslim goons" to indulge in such activities; "the accused are influenced by PFI. Read the FIR and three accused are linked to PFI. They had stayed in Nagamangala four days before the incident."
"I demand from the chief minister that people will live in fear if he keeps such a home minister in the state and he has to remove him from the post," he said.
Kulkarni said, "I warn Muslim goons. Only you can't pelt stones or weigh talvars (swords). Hindu society also knows and during the Ganapathi processions from next year, wherever necessary, if any organisers request us, Sri Rama Sene will give protection to the processions and 50 youth from Sri Rama Sene will carry talvars to give protection."
"Due to these unfit politicians, Hindu society has no protection to celebrate any festival freely and it is confirmed during this year's Ganesh Chaturthi celebration. We have decided to carry weapons to celebrate the festivals without fear in the upcoming days," he added.
Reacting to the issue related to Tirupathi Laddu, Kulkarni said, "It is a betrayal of the devotees. Hindu society is in shock and whoever follows humanity cannot accept this. There should be a thorough probe and all Hindu organisations have decided to gherao Jagan's house soon. Sentiments of crores of Hindus are hurt and there should be a laboratory to check prasadam randomly."