The Manjeswaram police have registered a case against Veera Kesari Club, a right wing organisation, which held rural games at Bayar in Paivalike gram panchayat. The event was marred by controversy over its online brochure, which read “Welcome to all Hindus”, which went viral on social media.
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On Sunday, Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists took out a march and disrupted the games at Beripadavu. The activists were led by DYFI Manjeswaram block president Vinay Kumar. Following the intervention of the police, the club permitted people from all communities to participate in the event, Mr. Kumar said.
“We filed a police complaint a day after citing that such activities would create communal rift. The club violated the by-law by circulating the brochure,” he added.
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Mr. Kumar said sports and games should unite people, but such an event was aimed at dividing people. This cannot be encouraged and allowed, he said and claimed that it was for the third time that such an event was organised.
The DYFI has now decided to organise a “secular” sports tournament at Bayar, which will have all rural games at the same venue on July 20.
Meanwhile, the police registered a case under Section 153 of the IPC based on the complaint by the DYFI.
When contacted Praveen Rai, president of the club, said the issue had been taken out of context. He added that the club had been conducting ‘Shaneeeswara pooja’ for 11 years. They used the brochure welcoming all Hindus. The same brochure was also used here. However, nowhere it was said that people of other religions were not allowed, he explained.
The club has not done anything to create rift, he said.