Murder of labourer triggers political turmoil and outrage in coast area
Mangaluru: The murder of Abdul Rahim, a daily wage labourer in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, has sparked widespread outrage, triggering political resignations, accusations of communal targeting, and calls for urgent government action.
Rahim, who was hacked to death earlier this week, was described by community leaders as an innocent man known for his secular values. A father and a peace-loving citizen, Rahim served as the General Secretary of his local mohalla committee and was an active member of the Sunni Students Federation of South India (SKSSF). He was reportedly attacked alongside another youth, who survived with serious injuries.
Speaking at a press conference in Mangaluru, SKSSF State General Secretary Anees Kousari condemned the killing as a consequence of rising hate speech and unchecked communalism. 'This brutal act is not just a crime, it's a chilling message to the working-class people who live peacefully across communities,' he said. The organisation warned of widespread protests if the perpetrators and hate speech propagators are not swiftly arrested.
The SKSSF also demanded Rs50 lakh in compensation for Rahim's family and announced plans to honour his memory with blood donation drives at 100 centres and interfaith prayer meetings across 300 branches in the district. Echoing similar concerns, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) alleged that right-wing groups were responsible for the murder. At a separate press briefing, SDPI State Committee member Riyaz Kadambu criticised the silence of senior political leaders and questioned the government's apparent apathy. 'The DGP has not visited the district. Muslim MLAs have not spoken out. And the Chief Minister has yet to issue a statement,' he said. Kadambu also questioned Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao's comments suggesting the murder was due to personal enmity, saying it undermines the gravity of the situation.
Adding to the political fallout, several Muslim leaders from the Congress party tendered their resignations during an emergency meeting at Shadi Mahal in Bolar on Thursday. M.S. Mohammad, State General Secretary of the Minority Cell; K. Abdul Rauf, District Vice-President; and former mayor K. Ashraf were among the prominent figures who stepped down, citing the state's failure to curb communal violence and its neglect of the Muslim community's concerns. The May 29 meeting was called to formalise protests against the state's handling of communal tensions, particularly Abdul Rehman's killing, which district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao attributed to personal enmity, a claim Ashraf dismissed, alleging misinformation by officials. The decision to begin resignations sent a clear message to the state government and Congress high command, setting a charged atmosphere for the meeting, where demands for accountability and swift action escalated into disorder.Shahul Hameed, President of the Minority Cell, informed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had sought a week's time to respond to their grievances.
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