‘Shobhakka aka Ms Shobha Karandlaje, the Central Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare is Only concerned about ‘LOVE’ & ‘LOVE JIHAD’ – K Harish Kumar, the Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee President during the Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee (DCC) Protest on Manipur Violence and atrocities on Manipur Women, held on Monday, 31 July 2023 in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue opposite to MCC building, Lalbagh, Mangaluru
Mangaluru: It was a sunny day, thanks to Mother Nature for allowing the protest organized by Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee to raise their voices against the brutality of a couple of Manipur women who were paraded naked, raped and tortured, and also against the non-stop violence in Manipur. A massive crowd gathered for a protest in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, in front of Mangaluru City Corporation building in Lalbagh, Mangaluruon Monday, 31 July 2023 at 10.30 am against PM Narendra Modi’s silence towards Manipur violence and the failure of the Centre to control violence in Manipur.
Carrying placards like “Stop Tribal Genocide in Manipur”; “Tribals of Manipur are All Indians”; “Peace be in Manipur”; Kukis are Indians, Not Illegal Immigrants”; “Provide Justice to Tribals in Manipur”; “We Say “NO” to Tribal Ethnic Cleansing”, among many others, a sea of like-minded people joined in the Protest held for a human cause of suffering people of Manipur.
The BJP government used a decades-old underlying ethnic tension between two ethnic groups to bring down the deadliest violence in Manipur. This wave of destruction was instigated b.Hindutva nationalists from a particular indigenous community. Most destruction was done in the first three days of conflict from May 3rd- 6th. The destruction continues to this day in the state capital of Imphal and the surrounding Valley with target killings by government forces. Under the guise of inter-community conflict between the majority Manipuris (Meiteis) and the minority tribal people (collectively known as Kuki/Zomi tribes), there has been the destruction of religious places everywhere, almost all churches in the extended Imphal Valley have been burnt, vandalized, or desecrated by BJP government-supported militia.
Speaking on the occasion, DCC president K Harish Kumar said that the Centre is only speaking of the protection of women through “BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO”. In reality, the Centre failed to protect women in Manipur. The opposition was not given an opportunity to discuss the issue allowed the PM to express his reaction to the incident of women being paraded naked in just 30 seconds. When asked to speak on Manipur, the PPM is engaged in raising issues in Rajasthan, and Chattisgarh. The Central has ignored Manipur completely”
“What is being shed in Manipur is not just tears, but tears of blood. So everyone’s tears are worth it. That price will come one day at a time. So the struggle will continue until justice is served. Now the Udupi MLA is trying to disrupt peace by raking up the Udupi washroom issue. Why was BJP silent when its own MP was facing allegations of sexual harassment and ABVP members sexually assaulting a Dalit girl in Puttur. Why is Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje si? ent on Manipur violence? She is concerned about love Jihad and not the safety of women,” added Harish Kumar.
Former MLC Ivan D’souza said, ” BJP trusts police only when their party is in power. BJP is seeking an NIA probe into the Udupi incident. The murder of Paresh Mesta in Uttara Kannada was handed over to CBI and BJP knows what the outcome was. Let Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and MLA Yashpal Sharma and others speak about moral policing on a policeman by Sangh Parivar men in Bantwal”
UNGRORMI SHATSANG- from Manipur doing his IIBA at St Agnes College, Mangaluru
For Manipur students, violence interrupts their education — and dreams, while many are studying in Mangaluru and DK. And one student who is pursuing his II BA at St Agnes College, Mangaluru after the College started Co-Education, Mr Ungrormi Shatsang speaking to Team Mangalorean said, ” I still get nightmares and have not been able to sleep for days, thinking about the situation back home, but with support and love from my classmates here I have been coping with my life. I don’t know how safe it is for us to return. Right now everything is fine, but I am not sure what the future holds for me. I only wish our government plans and does something to bring peace in Manipur, until then we have to keep our fingers crossed.”
Former MLA J R Lobo said that Congress has staged a series of protests against Manipur violence. Through the protest, we want to send a strong message to the centre.” Both the State Govt in Manipur and the Centre have deliberately delayed in restoring peace in Manipur. This delay is the death for the hope of justice In any situation, a riot can be controlled within 48 hours. The Internet could have been used positively for controlling violence. But the Government chose to remain silent on this issue. The double engine govt and all its machinery have double-engineer miserably. This tragedy could be befallen on us tomorrow. Hence, there is a need to vo against this atrocity and injustice and show our power.”
Former MCC Mayor Ms Kavitha Sanil said that protesting for Manipur in big numbers shows our love and concern for the people of Manipur. It is a sign that we no more tolerate violence and violation of human rights. We demand peace for Manipur. The Central government under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi who is blabbering about {BETI BACHAO BETI PADHAO{ should be ashamed of its stand on protecting women. It is disgraceful for India when PM Modi is boasting about the growth of India during his bunch of International trips, but has never bothered to speak about the protection of his own Country’s women, which is a black mark for our country in the globe”.
Advocate Sudheer Kumar Maroli, Former minister Ramanath Rai, Congress youth leader Mithun Rai, and Ms Mamatha Gatty, among others also spoke and condemned the Central Government under PM Modi’s rule for turning a blind eye towards the escalating violence in Manipur, and atrocities on innocent women.
Even with Love Jihad, it is women who suffer. Going by what you said, Shobha Karandlaje at least is worried about one issue of women. But you guys are not worried about Love Jihad (God forbid: until it happens to someone close to you) but encourage that and arrest everyone who try to protect some girl victims, putting them at risk mainly for political gain. And you are using the other issue also for your political gains. What moral right do you have to question the MP?