Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna has formally requested Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara to remove Udupi from the scope of the newly established Special Action Force (SAF).
In his letter, Suvarna criticized the government’s choice to include Udupi under the SAF’s jurisdiction, which was primarily created to manage communal unrest. He asserted that Udupi has maintained communal harmony for decades and claimed the decision was made unilaterally, without consulting local elected representatives.
Labeling the move as inappropriate, Suvarna warned that branding three out of 31 districts in Karnataka as communally sensitive could disturb peace in areas like Udupi. “This decision sends the wrong message,” he wrote, highlighting that Udupi hosts thousands of students from across India and abroad and is renowned for its significant contributions to banking and healthcare.
The MLA alleged that the government is attempting to depict Udupi—a historically peaceful region—as prone to communal issues. He expressed concerns that such a classification could damage the district’s image and hurt key sectors including education, religious tourism, and industry.
Suvarna further stated that local businesses such as hotels, real estate ventures, and small-scale enterprises may suffer. The perception of Udupi as unsafe could deter potential investors, especially in emerging fields like information technology.
He strongly urged the state government to reconsider the SAF deployment and spare Udupi from being wrongly labeled, as it could jeopardize long-standing communal harmony and economic growth.
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