VHP leader justifies murder of innocent Muslim; urges Hindus to support killers

Mangaluru, Jan 28: Even though Muslim community have openly condemned the murder of Deepak Rao, a Hindu youth, Vishwa Hindu Parishad has openly endorsed the killing of Ahmed Basheer, an innocent Muslim man who was hacked to death on January 3 in Manglauru by communal goons.

Speaking at a function to release a book, Hadedavvana Shaapa, here on Sunday, Dakshina Kannada district president of VHP, Jagadish Shenva, called upon the Hindu society to support the accused persons involved in the murder of Ahmed Basheer.

Mr Shenva said that the VHP believed that an innocent Basheer was murdered in retaliation to the murder of another innocent Bharatiya Janata Party activist Deepak Rao on the same day.

He said that an innocent Sharath Madiwala was murdered (on July 4, 2017) a few days after the murder of Social Democratic Party of India activist Ashraf in Bantwal taluk. “Then why not Basheer be murdered in revenge for the murder of Deepak Rao,” he asked.

Mr Shenva said that there was a sense of anguish in a section of society following the murder of Deepak Rao. “We are not of the kind who will react like this. But there are a section of people who are prepared for it (to murder a person in revenge). As a society it’s our responsibility to protect such persons,” he said.

The hardline Hindutva leader also predicted that his statement will be widely reported and there would be cases filed against him. “But I will stand by this statement,” he said.

Meanwhile, a video clipping of Mr. Shenva’s speech was widely circulated on Facebook and WhatAspp groups. The police said that they are taking legal opinion on Mr. Shenva’s speech.

Also Read: PFI, SDPI, Cong, DYFI demand arrest of Shenava for justifying killing of the innocents