Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader urges BJP not to hold Sept 7 bike rally

Mangaluru: Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader has urged the BJP to cancel their proposed 'Mangaluru Chalo' bike rally on September 7, considering the 'delicate communal situation' prevailing in Dakshina Kannada district.

"If the BJP had concern for the district and respected harmony and brotherhood, it should ask its youth wing Yuva Morcha to cancel the rally, he told reporters here yesterday.

Yuva Morcha is organising the bike rally, demanding a ban on Muslim 'radical' outfits like Socialist Democratic Party of India and Karnataka Forum for Dignity. BJP workers from several districts are expected to take part in the rally.

Khader,representing Mangaluru constituency,said he feared the rally could incite violence and untoward incidents might occur as many workers were expected to arrive in the city on bikes from different parts.

He said though political parties had the right to hold rallies in a democracy, it would be better if BJP refrained from the proposed rally in view of the volatile situation in the district.

The district had just returned to normality after many incidents of violence in recent months, he said.