Puttur: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagran Vedike, Dakshina Kannada district, have announced the ‘Puttur Chalo-Janajagruti Andolan’ on August 31 in connection with the recent dispute at a Xerox shop in Puttur.
VHP Pracharak and Prasad Saha Pramukh Pradeep Saripalla said the programme would seek to create awareness among the Hindu community about the incident and raise concerns over what the organisations described as the police handling of the case.
The announcement was made during a press conference held at the VHP office on Friday.
Demand to withdraw attempt to murder case
Speaking at the press conference, Pradeep Saripalla alleged that the police had maliciously registered an attempt to murder case against the owners of the Xerox shop — Sadashiva Pai, Anjana Pai and Sudarshan Pai.
He demanded that the case against the shop owners be withdrawn immediately.
According to the organisations, the police action in the matter requires scrutiny and an impartial assessment of the circumstances surrounding the dispute.
The VHP and its allied organisations said they would use the August 31 programme to voice their concerns and mobilise public support.
The incident at the Xerox shop had earlier triggered controversy after an argument reportedly broke out over a document submitted for lamination. The dispute subsequently escalated, with allegations of assault and claims that the incident was being given a communal and political dimension.
The woman involved in the incident had appealed to political parties and other groups not to turn the matter into a communal controversy, saying that her family wanted the issue to be resolved peacefully.
Action sought against Niaz and Naushad
During the press conference, the organisations also demanded the arrest of Niaz and Naushad, whom they alleged were responsible for creating unrest in connection with the incident.
Pradeep Saripalla alleged that the two were activists of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). The organisations demanded that legal action be initiated against them under the Goondas Act.
They further demanded that a case be registered under the provisions relating to organised crime, citing what they described as the need for stringent action against those responsible for the alleged disturbance.
The allegations made at the press conference have not been independently established. Any criminal liability of the individuals named would be determined through police investigation and due legal process.
Call for impartial investigation
The VHP and allied organisations also called upon the police department to conduct an impartial investigation into the entire episode.
They alleged that the investigation should not be influenced by political pressure and urged authorities to examine all aspects of the incident before taking further action.
The organisations said that the law should be applied equally to all those involved, irrespective of their background.
Their demands include withdrawal of the case against the Xerox shop owners, arrest and stringent legal action against those they accuse of causing unrest, and a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Puttur Chalo on August 31
The ‘Puttur Chalo-Janajagruti Andolan’ has been planned for August 31 as a public awareness and mobilisation programme.
The organisers said the initiative was intended to highlight their concerns regarding the incident and what they described as issues affecting the interests and security of the Hindu community.
The announcement comes amid heightened public and political attention surrounding the Xerox shop dispute.
The incident began as a disagreement connected to the handling of a document submitted for lamination but later developed into a larger controversy. The victim’s family has maintained that they did not want the matter to become a Hindu-Muslim or political dispute and had sought an end to the controversy.
Meanwhile, the latest announcement by the VHP, Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagran Vedike indicates that the issue is likely to remain a subject of public debate in Puttur.
The organisations have urged their supporters to participate in the August 31 programme and said the agitation would focus on their demands for what they consider to be fair and impartial action.
With competing allegations emerging from different sides, the police investigation and subsequent legal proceedings are expected to determine the facts of the case.