By Zilla Panchayat Ceo
Copyright thehindu
Expressing his dismay over recurring communal clashes in Mandya, Minister for Agriclture N. Cheluvarayaswamy said that such incidents, big or small, was a blot on the district.
The Minister, who is the Minister in charge of Mandya district, said officials and police should maintain vigil and ensure that such incidents are not repeated during a peace meeting convened in Maddur on Tuesday, following clashes between two communities during the Ganesha immersion on Sunday.
Urging the public to maintain their calm, the Minister said that the police had effectively controlled major clashes in the past and conducted transparent and impartial investigations.
Cautioning miscreants against fomenting trouble, Mr. Cheluvarayaswamy warned that stern action would be taken against those responsible for causing disturbances in Maddur, and urged community leaders and residents to alert the police about mischief-makers who might try to disrupt peace.
He stressed that Hindus and Muslims must live together harmoniously, and urged people to exercise patience during religious processions and festivals.
Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi said arrests had been made with the help of CCTV footages and other technologies, and investigations would establish whether the incident was spontaneous or pre-planned.
He cautioned against spreading false news on social media and assured that the police had deployed additional forces and constituted special task force teams to maintain peace during the mass immersion of Ganesha idols on Wednesday.
MLA for Malavalli P.M. Narendraswamy said that Maddur taluk, known for its contribution to the freedom struggle, should not be scarred by communal tensions. He highlighted ongoing government efforts for the development of sugar factories and irrigation canals, and sought public cooperation in the development of the taluk.
Dinesh Gooli Gowda, MLC, pointed out that out of the 77,000 Ganesha idols installed across Karnataka, 3,700 were in Mandya district, and no untoward incident had been reported. He also spoke against what he called “exaggerating isolated disturbances” and creating trouble, and warned that offenders would be punished.
MLA for Maddur Uday touched upon the development works in the taluk and said that projects worth ₹1,300 crore have been approved for Maddur. This has come after years of neglect and hence, it was imperative to pave way for peace and amity to ensure that development did not take a backseat, he said.
Deputy Commissioner Kumar drew attention to the pre-festival meeting convened by the district administration, which was attended by representatives of all communities, and expressed his dismay over the Maddur incident.
He said unity in diversity must be practiced in daily life and called upon parents to advise children against hurting religious sentiments of others or taking part in activities that are inimical to communal amity.
The meeting was attended by Zilla Panchayat CEO Nandini K.R., Sub-Divisional Officer Shivamurthy, tahsildar Parashuram Sattigeri, and other officials.
