For weeks, the communally-sensitive Honnavar town in coastal Karnataka was on the edge after the mysterious death of 19-year-old Paresh Mesta on 21 December 2017.
A day after Paresh’s death, while the town was still under curfew in fear of communal flare up, his father, Kamalakar Mesta, had come out categorically denying that his son was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or any other political party.
More than two months later, on Saturday, 3 March 2018, Kamalakar was seen sharing the dais with Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde to launch the BJP's Karnataka Surakasha Yatre (march for Karnataka's security).
The march was part of the BJP’s political strategy to make murders of Hindu activists into a statewide election issue and consolidate the fragmented Hindu votes in coastal Karnataka using the religion card.
‘Supporting Hindus to Get Justice’
Paresh was found dead under mysterious circumstances following a clash between two religious groups in Honnavar town. The case is still under investigation.
Kamalakar Mesta, who didn't identify his son with any political party following his death, on Saturday, 2 March, referred to his son as a “Hindu activist.” He was supporting the “Hindu community” to get justice for his son.
On 21 February, BJP national president Amit Shah had visited Kamalakar Mesta at his house in Honnavar. “He was a Hindu activist, he used to visit the temples often,” Kamalakar said.
“The police have maintained that they have not received any clues regarding his killers. It’s been three months and I have no hopes of getting justice from the state government. But the Hindu community has stood by me,” he said.
When asked if he had joined the BJP, Kamalakar said, “I am not a BJP worker, but I am a Hindu.”
March Through Sensitive Parts of the Coast
The three-day march, which culminates in Mangaluru with a speech by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is divided in two parts. The first leg was launched by minister Hegde from Ankola town in Uttara Kannada district.
The second leg of the rally, which began from Kodagu district, was led by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha. The BJP is also carrying out a ‘Bengaluru Rakshisi’ yatra across the state capital to highlight the law and order breakdown.
A Rally to Evoke Passion
A tableau with a mannequin donning a laughing Siddaramaiah mask while three men trying to hack a man to death and another trying to kill a cow was put out ahead of the march. The message was clear and graphic, and was intended to evoke passion in the communally-sensitive regions of coastal Karnataka.
The padayatra – dubbed ‘Hindutva Padayatre’ – is part of the BJP’s strategy to target the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government over failing law and order in the state, including the rise of communally-motivated murders.
The BJP alleged that minority groups like Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) were behind the murders and attacks on right-wing workers. And these organisations are being protected by the incumbent government.
The rally from Ankola will move to Honnavara and Bhatkal on Sunday, 4 March, before it eventually makes its way to Mangaluru on 6 March.
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