The Mangaluru city police booked activists of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), which included Gurupura Gram Panchayat members, for alleged obstruction of a cultural programme organised by the gram panchayat on August 15.
In the complaint, Panchayat Development Officer Aboobacker, said the panchayat had organised a cultural programme in its premises at 11 a.m. to mark the Independence Day celebration. The event was being conducted by students of the local Bethany School and was attended by the Panchayat president among others.
Towards the end of the programme, at around 12.30 p.m., students came on stage holding the portraits of Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters. Panchayat members A.K. Riyaz, Mansoor, Ashraf, Shahiq and other SDPI activists questioned the presence of Savarkar’s portrait and stopped the programme. Following an argument with a teacher, they forced the school principal to tender an apology on stage.
