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Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Condemns SDPI Leader’s Allegations, Files Police Complaint in Bantwal

By Editor

Posted on August 3, 2026

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Condemns SDPI Leader's Allegations, Files Police Complaint in Bantwal

Mangaluru : The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has strongly condemned the false, baseless, and provocative allegations made by SDPI leader Ashraf Talapady regarding the Gurupurnima festival organized peacefully and constitutionally on July 29 at Geetanjali Kalyana Mantapa in B.C. Road. Denouncing these attempts to malign the event, the committee formally submitted a petition to the Bantwal Town Police Station demanding strict legal action against the SDPI leader.

According to the committee, allegations were made targeting promotional banners placed near the venue, misrepresenting the sacred Gurupurnima celebrations—which featured Vyasa Puja and spiritual discourses on Ram Rajya—as an “anti-national event.” HJS asserted that such unsubstantiated accusations are a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, stir communal tension, and tarnish the organization’s reputation.

The Samiti highlighted that it has been operating within the framework of the Indian Constitution for the past 24 years, organizing events focused on religious awareness, national consciousness, and cultural preservation. Pointing to Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of speech and expression, the committee emphasized that peacefully discussing religion, culture, and the concept of “Hindu Rashtra” is entirely lawful. Labeling a peaceful religious celebration as “anti-national” is a malicious act of defamation that deserves severe condemnation.

Consequently, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti requested the police authorities to immediately register a case, conduct a thorough investigation, and take strict legal measures against those attempting to disturb social harmony through provocative claims. They also urged the police department to implement necessary precautionary measures to ensure that constitutional religious events can proceed without hindrance from any group or individual in the future.

In a related development, leaders of various Hindu organizations lodged a separate complaint at the Bantwal Town Police Station after derogatory and communally provocative content was circulated on social media using the image of astrologer Sri Anil Pandit, which was featured on a Gurupurnima promotional banner. The leaders condemned the character assassination and hurt caused to religious sentiments, demanding swift action to identify and penalize the perpetrators. Prominent figures present at the station included Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Ashok Shetty, Hindu leaders Sukumar Shetty and Shekhar Kottari, alongside astrologers Anil Pandit and Suresh Rai.