Mangaluru : Hindus should not get divided on caste lines and they should be united in their fight against forces involved in love jihad, cow slaughter, murders and other attacks on the community, said Secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Mangaluru Vibhag, Sharan Pumpwell here on Sunday, February 5.

Speaking at the function organised on the 20th anniversary of the VHP Kottara unit, Mr. Pumpwell said efforts are on to divide the Hindu community on caste lines. “We should not fall to it and get divided. When there is any harm to Hindus, we should stand together and fight,” he said.

Love jihad, he said, was happening in an organised way in Dakshina Kannada. “I support the recent statement of Member of Parliament Nalin Kumar Kateel asking people to act against love jihad and not be concerned much about development works,” he said. Hindus were being targeted by love jihad and land jihad. Innocent people like Prashant Poojary, Sharath Madiwala and Praveen Nettaru have been murdered. “We need not just development but also security,” he said.

Defending his recent statement at a Bajarang Dal convention in Ullal in support of persons who murdered Mohammed Fazil in Surathkal, Mr. Pumpwell said he said only tried to wake up the community against forces that are trying to bring in Islamic rule, which was revealed during the investigation of Praveen Nettaru murder.

Earlier, Y. Bharath Shetty, Mangaluru City North MLA, said he and D. Vedavyas Kamath, fellow Mangaluru City South MLA, will not seek votes from those who work against the country.

Rajashekharananda Swami from Vajradehi Mutt and VHP leader M.B. Puranik also spoke.