SDPI's bold anti-Hindu move shocks BJP, narratives shattered

Mangaluru: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has made a big statement, it will field Shafi Bellare- the murder accused in the case of the murder of Praveen Nettaru the BJP Yuva Morcha leader in July 2022 in the coming assembly election in the state from Puttur assembly constituency.

He is the accused number 2 in this sensational political murder, that shook the coast of Karnataka and even touched the top BJP leadership to take action. The NIA has arrested Shafi Bellare in this case along with another PFI activist Iqbal Bellare, stated to be his brother.

All these years the SDPI had re-iterated that the SDPI was not involved in the activities of PFI (Popular Front of India). But now by making an announcement that the party will field a murder accused from a communally sensitive assembly constituency like Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district the SDPI has indeed made a bold statement.

The announcement made to this effect by the SDPI leader Majid Kodlipet has riled the BJP and its Hindutva arms and also independent Hindutva leaders like Pramod Muthalik.

Speaking to Hans India Athaulla Jokatte president of the Dakshina Kannada unit of the SDPI said "I do not know why this is even being debated, there are instances in our own country that accused persons in various acts of crime have been allowed to contest even from the prison.

The Indian constitution says that an accused person is deemed innocent until he is proven guilty. So the Law takes its own course, so be it, let Shafi and Iqbal face the trial Shafi will contest from prison and if he is proven guilty later let him relinquish his office if in the meanwhile he gets elected from Puttur"

The narrative that was being floated that the SDPI was being funded by the BJP now stands baseless as the SDPI has dared to challenge the BJP on its own turf by fielding a candidate accused of murdering their top Yuva Morcha leader.

"It is definitely a challenge thrown at the Hindu society by the SDPI we will not allow this to happen and we will see that man in the prison Shafi Bellare will not get even one vote even from our Muslim fraternity," said Sanjiv Matandoor MLA of Puttur (incumbent). I will raise this issue on all party platforms and call for a total ban on the SDPI he said.

A senior Islamic scholar in Kumble in Kerala who on conditions of anonymity said murdering anybody of his own kind is considered Haram in Sharia law, we as devout Mussallamans will not support the murder, but at the same time we expect our Hindu fraternity to understand and empathise with us by waiting for the court verdict on the issue after due process.

Pramod Muthalik who flared up when this question was raised said "We must agree that NIA will not arrest anybody without proper proof, we trust our investigating agencies, to me, Shafi and Iqbal Bellare are murderers and their primary goal was to murder Hindus and Shafi should not be registered as a candidate by the EC."