Mangaluru (The Hindu): Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs U.T. Khader said here on Sunday that one of the prime accused, who is at large, in the June 21st murder of an activist of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) at Benjanapadavu, on the outskirts of the city, had shared the dais with RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat at a press conference here on May 28.

Hence, the police should probe into the links between the accused and Mr. Bhat.

Addressing presspersons here on Sunday, the Minister said that according to the police Bharat from Bantwal is one among the two prime accused in the murder of the activist Ashraf Kalai (35). Bharat is said to be associated with a Hindutva group. Mr. Bhat had conducted a meeting in the city in connection with a May 26 incident at Kalladka. Photographs showing Bharat sharing the dais with Mr. Bhat have been published by newspapers.

The Minister said that this has proved the allegation by the Congress that Mr. Bhat is linked to the untoward incidents in Kalladka and Bantwal taluk. Ashraf Kalai was murdered later. Now, the police should investigate why Bharat was present in the press conference addressed by Mr. Bhat.

Mr. Khader said that the BJP had conducted a block level meeting in Boliyar in Mangaluru taluk a day before the activist’s murder. The police should also conduct investigation whether there was any link to the murder and the meeting.

Meanwhile, Mr. Khader praised the efforts of the seer of the Pejawar Mutt Vishwesha Tirtha in organising an iftar meet at the Krishna Temple/Mutt on Saturday. Muslims who took part in the iftar meet at Annabrahma Hall later performed namaz in the same place. He said that the community needed such meaningful gestures. “Coming from a person of his stature [the seer], the gesture will have ripple effects in fostering communal amity not just in the district or the State, but across the country,” Mr. Khader said and added that it was worth emulating for other Hindu organisations.

He asked Mr. Bhat to follow the seer’s example to foster better relationship between the majority and minority communities in Dakshina Kannada.

Instead Mr. Bhat was dividing society with his words and actions, the Minister said.