Mangaluru: For one reason or the other, mostly the wrong ones, the coastal city of Mangaluru is in the limelight. It all started with church attacks years ago followed by moral policing incidents which rocked the nation as well as drew worldwide attention.

Sadly, politics has overtaken everything else in the recent past. Few murders added fuel to the fire in the already highly volatile situation to polarise the electorate further. Former city police commissioner Chandrasekar at the helm and while demitting office had hinted at the wide ramifications and the sensitivities of cases in Dakshina Kannada during his tenure.

Interestingly, the warring factions with the backing of two major national political parties ultimately wanted the state police to crack those cases and get culprits on record. In one way or the other, leading politicians tried to mount pressure on the police and went to the extent of pointing at the accused even before they could crack the case. Fortunately, city and district police did not buckle under pressure. Instead they took time to get to the roots of the case and make them watertight in order to ensure the real culprits remain within the confines of the law with no head room to escape.

What’s more shocking is new statements popping up on media and more so in social media to vitiate the peaceful co-existence among the communities in a district, known as education hub, banking hub not leaving behind the tag it carries all the time, “den for underworld dons/henchmen.” With state assembly elections round the corner, the frequency, tenor of such statements is bound to increase and not lessen as most politicos attempt to grab the wider share of votes more out of desperation than in anticipation.

The latest addition to this series emerged from none other than District In-charge Minister Ramanath Rai, a Congress veteran from the region. His opponent in this case is Kalladka Prabhkar Bhat, RSS leader, known to have made inflammatory speeches in the past. Their bitter political rivalry is good enough for the fringe elements on both sides to capitalise on the situation and inflict trouble. The only difference in this case being Minister Rai speaking directly to SP Borase in the company of party men holding Kalladaka Prabhar Bhat responsible for violent incidents that rocked the town.

Soon after the Video went viral on social media, reactions have been outpouring with BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel demanding minister Rai’s ouster from Cabinet. HDK has downplayed Rai’s statement and has astutely termed it as “match fixing” and demanded arrest of Bhat, if there is evidence against him. In each statement, it is very clear that all leaders are trying to build upon their vote banks before the polls, including JDS which has little influence in the region.

The district capital witnessed protest by right wing groups today where they demanded Rai’s ouster from the state Cabinet. They were seen shouting slogans against Rai and blocking roads before police took them into their custody. Reports of right wing group protests have been pouring in from several parts of the state after Minister Rai’s statement went viral. None of the Congress leaders from the region or from the state capital come forward to defend Rai or rule out his statements in the familiar manner by quoting “statements made by individual concerned in personal capacity and party has nothing to do with it.”

In this case, SP Borase used his wisdom in handling the situation with utmost caution despite being at the receiving end from police top brass for not handling Kalladka situation in the desired manner. Reacting on the Kalladaka incidents, SP Bhushan Gulabrao Borase said, “Primary investigations have revealed that the violence in Kalladka was fuelled by youngsters under the influence of narcotics” and added drug abuse was rampant in Bantwal and youngsters went berserk after getting high.

If the preliminary investigation reports are true then neither Kalladka Prabhkar Bhat, who is alleged to have played a major role in instigating violence in the area and subsequent statement by minister Rai asking SP Borase to nail Bhat holding him accountable have little effect.

Are we making “mountain out of a mole hill”? is for the introspection of all, including those on the sidelines.