Mangaluru: VHP to recite ‘Ram Nam’ outside police stations on February 19

Mangaluru: VHP to recite ‘Ram Nam’ outside police stations on February 19

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 16, 2024: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said here on Thursday, February 15, that its activists will sit on dharna outside Mangaluru South Police Station and other police stations in the city and recite ‘Ram Nam’ on Monday, February 19.

 

It is to protest against Mangaluru South Police registering what the VHP called a ‘false case’ against D. Vedavyas Kamath and Y. Bharath Shetty, Vishwa Hindu Parishad Mangaluru Pranta Joint Secretary Sharan Pumpwell and two councillors of Mangaluru City Corporation Sandeep Garodi and Bharath Kumar relating to St. Gerosa English Higher Primary School controversy.

Talking to reporters, the VHP Dakshina Kannada District Secretary Shivanand Mendon said Dr. Shetty and Mr. Pumpwell were part of the delegation of VHP activists who met the then Deputy Director of Public Instruction Dayanand Ramachandra Nayak at the latter’s office in Kottara on February 12 and sought a detailed inquiry into alleged derogatory references on Lord Ram reportedly made by English Teacher Sister Prabha of the school.

Dr. Shetty then proceeded to Bengaluru for Legislature session and Mr. Pumpwell did not come to the school at Jeppu. Around noon on February 12, Mr. Kamath came to the school on the request of aggrieved parents, who were concerned over the remarks allegedly made by teacher in the classroom. Mr. Kamath and two councillors joined parents in the protest outside the school. They joined students in raising “Jai Shri Ram” slogans outside the school. “How can raising ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans hurt anybody’s religious feelings?,” he questioned.

Dr. Shetty and Mr. Pumpwell have been falsely named by the city police as the accused in the compliant filed by one Anil Gerald Lobo only because of political compulsions. Mr. Mendon said the police have so far not registered a compliant filed by parents against the teacher Sister Prabha.

Dr. Shetty and Mr. Kamath said they will not seek bail in the matter and are ready to go to jail. Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel said the BJP will not beg for quashing of the case and will fight it out in pubic.