Rishikumar Swami (Photo: Twitter)
Violence inciting statements by Hindutva leaders have been adding fuel to the fire, as the Karnataka government attempts to clamp down on the rising communal tensions in the state.
Tensions have been on the rise in the state of Karnataka following the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing leader on July 26.
Two Muslim men were arrested in the case following protests from BJP workers alleging that the government failed to protect ‘its people’. BJP cadres and IT cell members have also reportedly threatened mass resignations and called for bandhs demanding the state take stringent action against the accused.
Tensions fueled on Thursday night after a Muslim man, Fazil, was brutally murdered on Thursday night by unidentified people. A curfew has been put in place to ensure peace in the Dakshina Kannada district.
Apart from a curfew, the state had also banned the entry of the chief of the Hindutva outfit, Sri Ram Sene, Pramod Mutallik into the district on Tuesday. Muthalik is known for his inciteful speeches against Muslims and has on an occasion urged Hindus to pick up arms against them.
One of the many Hindutva leaders who has been making statements and speeches that incite violence against Muslims in the nation is Rishikumar Swami of the Kali Mutt in Chikkamagalur.
Rishikumar who drew the attention of people after he was seen administering an oath against Muslim traders following the death of Bajrang Dal worker Harsha Hindu, yet again incited violence against Muslims as he justified the alleged brutal revenge killing of Fazil.
“If that was (murder of Fazil in Mangalore) done by our people, then I’m happy. Nine heads will be pending. There must be 10 heads against 1 head,” reiterated the spiteful seer who had called for the beheading of ten Muslims, to avenge the death of one Hindu.
“If police cannot encounter the accused then give us the guns. We will show you how it’s done,” added Rishikumar.
This is not the first occasion that Rishikumar has spat venom against the minority community. He has in the past been arrested for calling for the demolition of a mosque in the Mandya of Karnataka, drawing inspiration from Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
Apart from this, the Godman, who came into the limelight after protesting against Nithyananda for his involvement in sex scam, was also exposed as a womaniser in an expose titled Kaaviyolagobba Kalla (A thief behind the saffron) by a local channel in 2013.
According to a report by Bangalore Mirror, the expose also reportedly revealed Rishikumar’s indulgence in consuming meat and his drinking habits.
The seer also caught the limelight with his stint in Bigg Boss Kannada where the stylish guru was caught red-handed attempting to inappropriately touch an actress on the show. In another episode, the seer in a fit of rage physically assaulted another woman on the show, following which he was thrown out.
This post was last modified on July 30, 2022 1:32 pm