Condemning the act of Social Democratic Party of India activists of blocking the movement of Swatantrotsava Ratha in Kabaka Gram Panchayat on Sunday, Mangaluru MLA U.T. Khader on Monday said blocking the movement of vehicles was not the right way of opposing the presence of a photo of Veer Savarkar on the vehicle.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Khader said it was unfortunate that SDPI activists blocked the procession that was being held to mark the 75th Independence Day celebration on Sunday. There are differences over the role of Veer Savarkar in the Indian freedom struggle and he is accused of conspiring in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. “There are legal ways to question the inclusion of Veer Savarkar’s photo (on the cutout on the vehicle). They could have carried out a public campaign. But, instead, they blocked the movement of Ratha, which is a stupid act,” he said.
‘Failure of administration’
Senior Congress leader and former Bantwal MLA B. Ramanath Rai held the district administration and SDPI responsible for the incident.
Mr. Rai told reporters that the district administration had failed in taking precaution to avoid confrontation during the Independence Day celebration. Without naming the SDPI, Mr. Rai said, “The fundamentalist forces are also equally responsibility for creating unrest.”
