Mangaluru: “Cow vigilantes are the sources of communal violence in the district. People should beware of these organisations,” said district in-charge Minister Ramanatha Rai.

Addressing the press personnel at Circuit House on Tuesday, he said that when the term comes cow vigilantes, Bajaranga Dal comes in mind. Most of the Dal activists are of criminal background.

“80% of the cow vigilantes are from criminal background. They are playing politics in the name of cow vigilance. People also call them Sangha Parivar, but I call them Chaddi Parivar. Nothing but creating communal violence is their prime aim,” he said.

Further, condemning Praveen Poojary’s murder he said that it was an unfortunate thing. DK Congress have met IGP of Western range and have requested to speed up the investigation of Praveen’s murder case.

“BJP has used University premises for their private programme. Rani Abbakka’s name was an excuse for holding the programme. Freedom-70 is a part of BJP’s ‘Tiranga Yatra’ campaign. Even some of the syndicate members of University have shown their annoyance over the event,” he added.

MUDA Chairman Ibrahim Kodijal, former mayor Shashidhar Hegde, MCC Corporator Kavitha Sanil, youth Congress President Mithun Rai and others were present.