Bhatkal: Are BJP leaders ‘Unidentified’? FIR skips notable protestors, names only foot soldiers
Two FIRs registered in Sangh Parivar’s protests against SP M Narayan
Bhatkal, April 12: In a development that has sparked serious questions about fairness and transparency in law enforcement, two FIRs registered at the Bhatkal Town Police Station in connection with the recent Sangh Parivar-led protests have conspicuously excluded the names of prominent BJP and Hindutva leaders who were very much present and leading the demonstrations.
On April 8 and 9, members of various right-wing groups staged aggressive protests in Bhatkal—first by blocking the National Highway 66 and later by gathering in front of the police station—after reports surfaced alleging that Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police (SP) M. Narayan had manhandled Sangh activist Srinivas Naik during a rowdy-sheeter parade in Sirsi.
However, what stands out in the FIRs is not who is named—but who isn’t.
Despite photographic and video evidence clearly showing the presence of several senior leaders—including former Bhatkal MLA and BJP face Sunil Naik, former Bhatkal BJP President Govinda Naik, and known Hindutva leader and BJP's District Secretary Srikanth—the police have failed to mention their names. Instead, the FIRs include a list of lesser-known workers and dozens of conveniently labeled “unidentified individuals.”
This raises a very serious question: When top BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders are visibly leading the protest, how can they be passed off as ‘unidentified’?
Are the police, under pressure or willingly, shielding political figures with influence and clout? Are the law enforcement officers deliberately omitting the names of powerful individuals to avoid backlash or political consequences?
According to the FIR registered by PSI Naveen S. Naik, 11 names have been mentioned—none of whom are leading figures. The second FIR, filed by PSI Timmappa Bedumane, carries a similar pattern. Known leaders who are seen raising slogans and standing at the front lines of the protest are nowhere in the official records. Yet, the police have written off at least 60 protesters across both FIRs as “unidentified.”
When the police claim that they are scrutinizing CCTV footage and videos to identify protestors, one must ask—how do they manage to skip over the most visible faces leading the protest? These individuals are no strangers. They are seasoned politicians and activists who frequently appear in public forums and media.
Is this selective amnesia or selective protection?
At a time when the police are expected to act impartially and uphold the rule of law, such omissions dent public trust and raise doubts about the neutrality of those entrusted with enforcing the law.
Justice cannot and should not be divided between the powerful and the powerless. If FIRs can be drawn up against common workers, then the leaders guiding them must also be held accountable. The law must not just act—it must be seen to be acting without fear or favour.
If prominent faces are still being labeled as “unidentified,” then it is not just a failure of policing—it is a failure of honesty.
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'Operation Sindoor 2.0 seems inevitable as Pakistan fixated on Kashmir issue with Chinese support'
Gandhinagar (PT): Lieutenant General Dushyant Singh (retd) on Sunday said the Indian armed forces must remain prepared as "Operation Sindoor 2.0" is inevitable, mainly because Pakistan's military remains fixated on the Kashmir issue with support from China and Turkiye.
Singh said the "ceasefire" during Operation Sindoor in May remains “fragile” due to repeated violations by Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC).
He also highlighted the need to improve narrative-building capabilities by India, which he described as one of the shortcomings during the military operation.
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Singh, Director General of the New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), was addressing a gathering at the headquarters of the Indian Air Force’s South Western Air Command (SWAC) near Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
His address was part of the ninth edition of the Late Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon (PVC) Annual Memorial Lecture, organised by the Air Force Association, Gujarat Branch.
"Operation Sindoor was not the end, but it was the beginning of new dynamics of escalation management. So, what are the chances of any future conflict with our adversary? The answer is yes. 'Operation Sindoor 2.0' is not merely a possibility; it is inevitable. The earlier we prepare for it, the better we are," said Singh.
He added that the likelihood of another 'Operation Sindoor' remains high as Pakistan’s military continues to remain fixated on the Kashmir issue, with backing from China and Turkiye.
Singh, however, expressed confidence in the Indian government’s ability to deal with future threats.
"One of the successes of Operation Sindoor was the doctrinal shift. It discarded restraint and exposed Pakistan's weaknesses. For the first time since the 1971 war, a tri-service synergy was achieved. Political clarity translated into military precision, air defence innovation, and surprised global observers," said Singh.
Operation Sindoor was India's swift, targeted military response in May 2025 to a major terrorist attack in Pahalgam, aiming to destroy terrorist infrastructure and launchpads inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Highlighting shortcomings, Singh said India was weak in international narrative management.
"Diplomatic missions were not briefed aggressively, and pro-India lobbies abroad remained under-utilised. Narrative warfare was not fully leveraged. This is a gap we cannot afford in the future," the retired Army officer said.
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He noted that Pakistani social media influencers flooded platforms such as TikTok, with amplification support from Chinese social media networks, and even targeted youth audiences in Bangladesh.
Singh also pointed to intense cyber warfare during the four-day operation.
"Cyber attacks on India were heavy during the four days of Operation Sindoor, but our counter-offensive cyber operations were either not clearly articulated or we were not aware of them," he said.
Singh said cyber attacks on government networks had surged sevenfold during the four-day period.
"The power sector witnessed nearly two lakh cyber attacks, while the National Stock Exchange faced around 40 crore cyber attacks. Had any been successful, it could have triggered a financial crisis," he said.
Singh emphasised that modern conflicts extend beyond land, sea and air, underscoring that multi-domain warfare is now a reality.
"We need coordinated information propagation during conflicts. On the information warfare front, Chinese media were deeply engaged in data analysis and crafting messages to amplify India’s fault lines," he said.
He recommended codifying a "national security strategy.
"India needs a well-documented national security strategy. We also need to reform intelligence and internal security, fast-track the integrated theatre command, raise defence spending by 3 per cent of the GDP, excluding pensions, and focus on outcome-based budgeting, not process-driven," the retired officer said.
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Singh also called for the creation of dedicated Cyber Warfare and Cognitive Warfare Commands, and stressed the need to overhaul India’s strategic communications.
"We need to mend India's strategic communication for better narrative building. Siloed messaging by agencies such as the MEA and MoD led to delayed rebuttals during the operation, which amplified Pakistan’s narrative. These things are equally important because they affect India's overall image.
"Weak technology integration failed to counter viral claims about Indian jets. We must deploy AI for disinformation tracking and engage the 32 million-strong Indian diaspora as narrative amplifiers," Singh added.
Air Vice Marshal Anil Golani (retd), Director General of the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), spoke about the relevance of air power and the future of the Indian Air Force.
He said Operation Sindoor was a strategic shift from restraint to "deterrence by punishment".
Claiming that Pakistan's aggressive moves against India during the military conflict exposed collusion between China and Pakistan, Golani said China used the conflict to test its weapons. PTI PJT NSK
