Mangaluru (Karnataka), Mar 13 (PTI) Congress leader B Ramanath Rai on Thursday urged law enforcement authorities to take action on their own against leaders of certain communal organisations allegedly spreading false narratives to incite unrest.

Addressing a press conference here, Rai expressed concern over what he described as a systematic effort to disrupt communal harmony.

Also Read | PM Internship Scheme 2025: Registration To Close on This Date, Know How To Apply at pminternship.mca.gov.in and Other Details.

He argued that prosecuting lower-level activists was insufficient and called for cases to be registered against those in leadership positions who, he claimed, were responsible for provoking such incidents.

"It was a clear attempt to foment communal clashes," he stated.

Also Read | Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse 2025 Date and Time: Is It Chandra Grahan on Holi in India? Everything To Know About the Celestial Event in March.

Referring to the recent case of missing youth Diganth, the former minister asserted that the situation could have escalated into a communal clash had the police not intervened in time.

He contended that while discussing the disappearance itself would have been a legitimate political approach, certain groups attempted to exploit the incident to inflame tensions.

"The timely action of the police in locating Diganth helped prevent a possible communal disturbance," Rai said, urging the public to remain vigilant against politically motivated narratives.

Drawing parallels with previous incidents, Rai accused right-wing groups of "distorting facts" for electoral gains.

He cited the 2017 murder of Sharath Madivala, alleging that misleading propaganda was used to influence public sentiment.

He also claimed that during Tipu Jayanti celebrations, BJP workers were responsible for the killing of Harish Poojary—a case that was later framed differently in the political discourse.

Rai criticised the prevailing political climate in Dakshina Kannada, asserting that certain politicians deliberately exploit cases of murder or disappearance to fuel communal divisions. He called for stringent legal action against those inciting violence and disturbing societal peace.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)