The Popular Front of India (PFI) has lodged a complaint against the week-long arms training camp conducted in a school by the Hindu extremist group Bajrang Dal in the Kodagu district of Karnataka.
The camp, termed ‘Shourya Prashikshana Varga’ (bravery) programme, was held from May 5 to 11 at the Sai Shankar Educational Institution in Ponnampet in the district.
Ebrahim KH, a member of PFI, has lodged a complaint and demanded a probe into the matter.
The police have initiated a probe into the matter and sought a report from the Education Department on whether the school grounds could be used for such an event.
In the training programme, which was attended by 116 Bajrang Dal workers, weapons like trishul (trident) and the air gun were distributed among the participants for training. “There was a rifle training programme in which participants were shown how to aim with an air gun. We also had the trishula deekshe and the trishuls were distributed as a part of this,” The News Minute quoted said Puneeth Attavar, a Bajrang Dal convenor from Mangaluru, as saying.
Karnataka Congress has demanded the arrest of Bajrang Dal leaders for giving arms training to young students on the school premises in the Madikeri district.
Opposition party leader Siddaramaiah had stated that by giving arms training in Madikeri to young members, Bajrang Dal has challenged the law of our land.
“Do we have a Home minister or Education minister in Karnataka? Is the government still alive?” Siddaramaiah questioned.
“MLAs M.P. Appachu, K.G. Bopaiah and Suja Kushalappa participated in the Shaurya Prashikshana Varga event of Bajrang Dal. Do they have any commitment towards our Constitution?” he asked.
“Arms training is against the law and the Home Minister should file a case against the leaders of Bajrang Dal and arrest them”, he demanded.
Education minister B.C Nagesh should take action against the school authorities for allowing Bajrang Dal to organise illegal activities, he demanded.
(With inputs from IANS)
