Fringe Hindutva activists on war path over Paresh Meshta murder issue

Honnavar: The false Paresh Meshta Murder theory floated by the BJP before the 2018 assembly elections has come back to haunt the party. In a definite escalation several Hindutva activists who had participated in riots after the murder theory was floated by the party, are now on the streets of Honnavar in Uttara Kannada demanding justice for them.

A host of Hindutva activists from the fringe groups of Honnavar, Kumta and Ankola - 93 of them- to be precise have been facing police action for rioting, many of them have lost their jobs and some of them have also been dumped by their own families due to the criminal cases against them.

Arun Harikantra, a fisherman youth told this correspondent that "I was a partner with five others and owned a fishing vessel and doing good business, but when I got into contact with the Hindutva fringe groups I got involved with rioting without my knowledge. It was a frenzy that a few leaders were promoting. I and one of my partners and several of my caste people are now visiting police stations and courts every now and then and losing time on our professions"

In the last five years, two of them have died and a few others are nursing frail health. "The CBI has filed a 'B'report on the Paresh Meshta case, clarifying that Paresh Meshta died of accidental drowning in the river and he was not murdered by Muslims as it was purported to have been. Still, the government has not withdrawn cases on the 93 accused in the rioting. We are suffering due to the BJP leadership which had falsely accused a community of a crime which they have not committed.

This leaves us on tenterhooks. All of us are BJP workers" they argued. Several Hindutva activists poured onto the roads of Honnavar on Wednesday and raised slogans against the BJP and wanted those who were responsible for this situation should be brought to book as in their words we had acted and taken to rioting. Many of them were also innocent people they added. They wanted all the cases filed at the police stations must be dropped.

The 'B' report of the CBI which has reached the lawyers of the riot victims is now making a case to drag the BJP leaders who have ignited the riots. It could be recalled here that after the fringe groups fomented one of the biggest riots in 2018 BJP won hands down in 21 seats out of 24 on the coast.