People's Democracy

IN Karnataka, the communal fascistic Hindutva forces showed their real face by murdering a youth leader in Mangalore. His crime: uniting the people against exploitation and communalism forces.

On June 24, some anti-social elements belonging to Hindu Yuva Sena, a front organisation of RSS, attacked with lethal weapons and killed Comrade Srinivas Bajal, vice president of the Bajali area committee of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) in Mangalore.

It is to be noted here that Srinivas was trying to arrange a film show on Bhagat Singh. On that fateful morning, he was on his way to donate blood to a colleague.

Srinivas, 27, was affectionately called Sheenanna in the area. He was a talented personality and immensely popular among the people there. He was a dancer himself and sports secretary of Pakkaladha Yuvaka Mandal.

What angered the Hindutva forces was that the activities of Srinivas and other DYFI leaders had made the organisation strong in the area and it was growing into a political force, opposing the communal and divisive forces. Unable to resist the DYFI’s growth ideologically, the RSS-controlled outfit physically liquidated one of the DYFI’s prominent activists.

As per the police report, Lokesh, a leader of Hindu Yuva Sena, infamous for its anti-social activities in the area, gave some of his associates a Rs 10,000 contract to kill the DYFI leader.

On June 24 morning, five or six goons brutally attacked Srinivas at around 7.30 a m with swords and other weapons. Srinivas got 29 stab injuries and breathed his last in a pool of blood. Hailing from a poor family, Srinivas was the only breadwinner for his aged mother and a blind elder sister.

This brutal killing sent shock waves among the people and a pal of gloom descended over Pakkadadka Bajal area. Thousands of men and women visited the house of their beloved young leader and took part in the funeral procession. This was a proof of his and the DYFI’s popularity in the area.

On the same day, total bandh was observed in the area after the news of the brutal murder spread like a wild fire and evoked widespread condemnation.

The state units of the DYFI, SFI and JMS observed a protest day on June 26.

At state capital Bangalore, hundreds of SFI, DYFI and JMS activists staged a demonstration at Mysore Bank circle on June 26, and resorted to rasta roko for some time. About 200 people formed a human chain at Malavalli in Mandya district to register their anger. At Tumkur, a large procession was taken out. Kolar, Hasan, Gulbarga, Gadag, Uttara Kannada, Chikkamagalur, Kundapura, Kodagu, Doddaballapur and some other places also witnessed protest actions.

On June 27, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member S Ramachandran Pillai, DYFI joint secretary Balagopal and local DYFI leaders met police officers at Mangalore to demand immediate action. He urged the administration to book the culprits and stop the saffron brigade’s nefarious activities. They also visited the house of the slain comrade.

On June 30, a protest meeting was held in Bajal area, close to the murder spot. More than 2,000 people from the surrounding areas came to join in severely condemning the heinous crime. They warned the communal forces that physical elimination of one or another leader would not dampen the spirit of the secular and democratic forces in continuing their fight.

On the complaint lodged by the DYFI, the police later arrested five persons. Those arrested have admitted their crime and their allegiance to the Hindu Yuva Sena.

The comrades of DYFI Mangalore have decided to collect fund to help the family whose sole breadwinner sacrificed his life for a noble cause.