Mangaluru: A demonstration was organised near the Clock Tower in Mangaluru to denounce what protestors described as unlawful actions by the Congress-led Karnataka government against members of Hindu organisations.
Over the last two months, several activists in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have allegedly been subjected to baseless legal action by the police. Protestors claimed that this trend reflects a broader attempt to silence voices associated with Hindu groups.
One of the main triggers for the protest was the arrest of Samit Raj Dharegudde, the district co-convener of Hindu Jagran Vedike. According to protestors, a false case was registered against him without following due legal procedures.
Speakers alleged that several more Hindu workers are being targeted across the coastal belt. They accused authorities of attempting to book them under fabricated charges, bypassing legal norms such as issuing prior notices.
Critics said that the state government is misusing the police machinery to curtail freedom of speech and religious rights. They pointed out that while the Constitution guarantees every citizen fundamental rights, these freedoms are being allegedly stifled under the current regime.
The protestors voiced concern over what they called the government’s anti-Hindu bias and demanded an immediate end to the targeted harassment of social workers affiliated with Hindu organisations.