Provocative slogans asking Muslims to “go to Pakistan” during a victory procession celebrating the BJP’s return to power at the Centre sparked the stabbing of two BJP supporters near Mangaluru on Sunday, the police reported.
Addressing a news conference on Tuesday, Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal stated that the slogans were raised during the procession near Boliyar. “Some youth raised provocative slogans at an auto stand, which were deeply hurtful. The essential meaning was that Muslims are all part of Pakistan and the arrival of [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi has scared you,” he said.
These slogans circulated in local WhatsApp groups. When the procession reached the mosque, BJP supporters danced fervently in front of it and raised slogans, which agitated the community members. After the procession ended, three individuals returned and raised slogans, leading to the stabbing incident, Agarwal said.
The people involved in sloganeering were chased by a group of Muslim youth after the procession ended. “The BJP workers came under attack during which one was stabbed in the stomach and one in the back. Both are currently out of danger,” Agarwal stated.
Following the incident, the Boliyar mosque management filed a complaint.
In response to media queries on security arrangements, Agarwal mentioned that police personnel were deployed to prevent such incidents. “The police tried their best to prevent this. The group wanted to take the procession in the same route, in front of the mosque. They were prevented from doing so. However, three people went back on a bike and raised slogans,” he added.