High on Hatred they Sought to set Sringeri on Fire
The forces that succeeded in setting fire on Bengaluru by posting inflammatory comments on social media tried to repeat it in Sringeri only to get their fingers burnt. This incident has revealed the Sangh Parivar’s systematic conspiracy to disturb peace and social harmony. It is clear again that the Sangh Parivar and its forces can go to any extent and unleash heinous crimes as part of their agenda to create intolerance, and drive a wedge between people in the name of caste and community. It is now the responsibility of the law enforcement agencies to unravel the networks of these anti-social elements.
Last Wednesday, some miscreants threw a green colour banner on Shankaracharya’s idol in Sringeri. As the colour of the banner was green and the idol belonged to Hindu religion, Sangha Parivar leaders declared that this act has been performed by members of a specific community even before the police could conduct an investigation. Sringeri suddenly became tense. A group of Sangha Parivar members raided the house of an innocent person and assaulted another. In addition to all of this, a sudden protest under the leadership of former minister D. N. Jeevaraj was held in front of the town police station. Anyone with basic education would understand that the banner does not belong to any community or party. But the former legislator did not have the patience to examine this. Instead, by issuing repeated inflammatory statements, he tried to set Sringeri on fire. For him, the need to trigger tension in Sringeri was more important than finding out whether the idol of Shankaracharya was really desecrated. The most dangerous element of his behavior was that during the protest, he referred to the derogatory statements made against Prophet Mohammad and defended it. This shows that the former legislator, maliciously, wanted to trigger in Sringeri the same kind of unrest that some localities in Bengaluru witnessed earlier this week. Though he made the statements right in front of the police station, the police have not yet acted against him. Instead, buckling under the pressure of the Sangh Parivar, they detained an innocent person who had nothing to do with the incident for an entire day.
Though the law is blind, the CCTV in the local mosque was alert and captured the footage of the alleged ‘anti-national, extremist, terrorist’. It showed that a person named Milind Pujari who has links with the Sangh Parivar entered the mosque, took the banner, and threw it on the idol of Shankaracharya. The next morning, citing a headache, he got himself admitted to a hospital. When the CCTV footage revealed the truth, the Sangh Parivar leaders immediately tucked their tails and withdrew into their burrows. At the same time, the police declared that ‘it was an act of a drunkard’ and announced that there is no role of any ‘Sangha’ or party. Let us assume that this was an act of a drunkard. However, in the absence of the CCTV in the mosque, wouldn’t the act have been portrayed as that of a ‘Muslim extremist’? If the real accused was not found, a gang of outlaws would have attacked Sringeri. Innocent people of a specific community would have lost their lives in the riots. The former minister’s statements had dropped such hints.
On a closer examination, it doesn’t appear that the entire episode does not appear to be an act committed by a drunkard. The accused Milind is already facing several cases and has a criminal history. He is not only facing two cases of theft but his links with Sangh Parivar leaders have now come into the open. The drunkard was very well aware that he was entering the mosque. Besides, the act of throwing the banner on the idol of Shankaracharya is not accidental. The fact that he admitted himself into the hospital the next day further strengthens the doubts over the nature of the incident. What then do the din raised by the Sangh Parivar including the former minister indicate? Was the former minister’s group also intoxicated? Was he under the influence of alcohol when he defended the abuse against the Prophet in the presence of police? The police should issue a clarification on this as well.
There is no doubt that the accused Milind Poojari, former minister Jeevaraj, and his team were intoxicated with communal hatred and wanted to create trouble in Sringeri. Therefore, not only Milind Poojari but the former minister who tried to hatch a conspiracy of triggering violence and unrest is also the main accused in the incident. The police must file a case against him as well. At the same time, investigation must be conducted into the links between those responsible for the recent violence in Bengaluru by making derogatory statements against Prophet Mohammad and those in this incident. Otherwise, these evil forces would reign supreme again.
At the same time, it is the duty of the people to be restrained during communally tense situations. The main objective of miscreants is to spread hatred and divide society, and these forces use social media websites and the media extensively to achieve their designs. Therefore, people should show patience when they hear rumours. Attempts aimed at instigating people through inflammatory statements on social media should be handled legally and in democratic ways, thus defeating the designs of these anti-social elements. We need to learn from the incidents in Bengaluru and Sringeri that it is now time for people who want to build a peaceful society to come together in the midst of those who want to destroy it.
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
