Slain Deepak Rao's family, who was associated with the Bajrang Dal and the VHP refused compensation from Congress MLA from Mangaluru North, Mohiuddin Bava, reports TOI. Deepak Rao was hacked to death by a four-member gang on Wednesday, following which simmering tension prevailed in Dakshina Kannada district.
On Friday, Bava went to Deepak Rao's house and offered a cheque of Rs 5 lakh. However, Rao's family refused to take the money. The state government earlier had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. Deepak's mother Premalatha refused to take the money and his neighbours had some harsh words for Bava. Later , Bava alleged that Deepak's mother was brainwashed to not take money by BJP and saffron outfits as he is Muslim.
Now, Bava has decided to use the money to buy three water coolers for a temple, church and mosque in the area. However, Bava was reduced to tears with rejection from Deepak's family and was grieving, according to reports.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said the "fight" in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state would be between between two ideologies -- communalism and secularism. "It's not between Siddaramaiah versus BJP, it is not between me versus Narendra Modi... it is not between Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa; it is between two ideologies- Congress versus BJP," he told reporters in Chikkamagalur. He termed the Congress a secular party and said, "We believe in secularism and are committed to it, while the BJP is a communal party."
"This is the ideological difference between the BJP and the Congress. The fight would be between communalism and secularism," Siddaramaiah said. Assembly polls in Karnataka are scheduled this year. The chief minister reiterated that the government would take stringent action against organisations instigating "communal sentiments" in the state. "Any organisation that instigates communal sentiments, the government will be merciless against them, in accordance with the law," he said.
With PTI inputs
