Mangalore City Police have booked a case against a man who allegedly demanded the ‘encounter’ of former union minister and Congress leader Janardhan Poojary. In an audio message, the suspect allegedly criticised Poojary, after the leader spoke in favour of the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.
On Thursday, the Kavoor police booked a case against Hakeem Puttur under IPC 504 (intentionally trying to provoke breach of the peace) and IPC 507 (criminal intimidation). The development comes less than a week after the alleged voice message (authenticity of the voice had not been verified as of publication of this report) against the 81-year-old veteran Congress leader was circulated.
In the audio message, Hakeem, who claimed to be an ardent Congress supporter, further demanded that Janardhan Poojary needed to be ‘encountered’ or deported from the country along with everyone who demands the Ram Mandir. “Muslims should not support Congress until Poojary is suspended from the party. Janardhan Poojary was born to RSS. He has association with the RSS and tries to hide his identity behind the Congress mask. I have been repeating this fact since 10 years but I was rebuked. However, things became clear after he invited Kalladka Prabhakar and RSS affiliates and not then (Karnataka) Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his book release,” Hakeem allegedly said.
Going further, the message also demanded an explanation from the Congress as to why party functionaries were retaining Poojary for so long despite his questionable actions that destroyed the party at the polls. “Poojary’s statement against Siddaramaiah during the previous Assembly election led to the downfall of Congress in Dakshina Kannada... once involved in the destruction of the image of the party, how can one take claim for its growth?” Hakeem allegedly questioned.
While former Mangalore (South) legislator JR Lobo filed a police complaint over the voice message and sought a detailed probe, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel also expressed his condemnation.
Meanwhile, taking the voice message route again, the suspect allegedly floated another message. While apologising for his remarks against Poojary, he reiterated that the former union minister should not have made remarks favouring the construction of the Ram Temple. “I have not said anywhere that I will kill Poojary. I have only said that anyone who violates the Constitution, including Poojary, must either be killed in an encounter or deported from the country... Being a Congress leader, how can he make such statements when the matter is in court,” Hakeem allegedly said.
Story by www.storyinfinity.com (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP).