Udupi: Members of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) Udupi unit, staged a protest in front of Clock Tower here on Monday demanding immediate arrest of state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa and Udupi Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje.

Ashraf Jokatte, district SDPI committee member said, that Dakshina Kannada was known for peace and kind people.
But now, the scenario has changed. BJP politicians Yeddyurappa and Shobha are using caste and religion for political reasons. BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had threatened to set fire to DK previously. Now, Shobha is planting poisonous seeds in the name of communalism through provocative speeches. The so called Hindu outfits' activists say that they will set fire to the state if Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat is arrested. Why did the police not arrest who spoke such things to create communal conflict?" questioned Ashraf.

"Shobha said that 23 Hindu youth were killed for communal reasons. But in reality, they were killed for various reasons except a few of them. In the coming days, SDPI will reveal the names of the youth who were truly killed in communal conflicts," informed Ashraf.

Riyaz Parangipete, state secretary, SDPI; G Rajshekhar, president, Komu Sauharda Vedike; Jayan Malpe, Dalit leader; Hussain Kodibengre, chief secretary, District Muslim Union; Nazeer Ahmed, president, Udupi constituency, and Saleem Kodankoor, secretary, Udupi constituency were present.