Bajrang Dal activist murder: VHP demands NIA probe, targets Muslims

VHP organizing secretary Basavaraj alleged that "SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) and PFI (Popular Front of India) assailants murdered the Bajrang Dal activist Harsha. He demanded that both should be banned and the government should hand over the Shivamogga murder case to NIA.

New Delhi: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the parent organisation of Bajrang Dal, has sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the killing of its activist in Karnataka. Harsha, 23, a tailor by profession, was killed by a group of youth in Shivamogga district on Sunday night.

In a statement to ETV Bharat, VHP organizing secretary Basavaraj alleged that "SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) and PFI (Popular Front of India) assailants have murdered the Bajrang Dal activist Harsha. "They are systematically murdering Hindus for the past several years. Two months ago, Tumkur District Bajrang Dal coordinator Manju Bhargava was brutally assaulted. Nagesh from Shivamogga was assaulted. Prashant Poojary, Kuttappa, Rudresh have been murdered. SDPI and PFI is coming from Kerala and murdering people here." the statement alleged.

"The SDPI and the PFI should be banned for its treason and terrorism. The government should immediately hand over the Shivamogga murder case to the NIA. Guilty should be punished as soon as possible," Basavaraj said.

In a separate video statement, VHP's Central Joint General Secretary Dr Surendra Jain, while strongly condemning the killing, targeted the Muslims and said the incident was "result of the poison that is being spread daily by Islamic fundamentalist leaders". "Sometimes in the name of CAA, sometimes in the name of Hijab, and sometimes in the name of open Namaz, this radical poison is being spread on one or another pretext," Jain said.

He pointed out to PFI and said the organisation was "another avatar of the banned SIMI". "It is unfortunate that the people of Tukde Tukde Gang who encourage these elements in the name of Muslim appeasement, are working under leaders like Rahul Gandhi and contribute to the spread of poison every day in the leadership.

"Enough is enough now, these fundamentalists should be stopped," he said. The VHP leader asked Muslims "whether they wanted to go in the same direction in which Jinnah wanted to take them before 1947?" "If not, they (Muslims) should change their leadership and let them know their worth. If you cannot, then we will have to," he warned.