WHY ARREST OF B.V.SEETHARAM IS NOT AN ISSUE OF FREEDOM OF PRESS – BUT A CASE OF BLACKMAIL ATTEMPT ON WEALTHY JAIN COMMUNITY GONE WRONG

B.V.Seetharam, Editor of “Karavali Ale” was arrested by Sagar police (Shimoga District) for hurting Jain community by continuously publishing derogative columns on Jains and Jain Muni Tarun Sagar and creating a hostile environment for Jains in the region. Earlier Mangalore police had arrested B.V.Seetharam on the same charges and he was released on a conditional bail only to be arrested by Sagar police again.

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We have received many emails on “Karavali Ale” B.V.Seetharam’s arrest – particularly from members of Jain community from other parts of India and even US – wondering what exactly is going on in Mangalore and why their (tiny) community in Mangalore and well  respected Jain Muni Tarun Sagar is target of sleazy journalism by “Karavali Ale” and its Editor B.V.Seetharam.

This post attempts to address that question and also analyse attempts by section of media led by “The Hindu” to portray arrest of B.V.Seetharam as “curb on freedom of press”  

First, journalists of Mangalore or district have not even provided a one sentence condemnation of Karavali Ale Editor.  Only protests are by journalists hundreds of kilometers away in districts like Gulbarga etc who have no idea who Seetharam is and what are the charges against him! Silence of local media against the arrest explains everything – even fellow journalists no longer consider B.V.Seetharam as a “journalist” – rather he is treated on par with criminals and a blackmailer who is finally behind the bars for his years of sleazy journalism.

Second, let us see the background of who is actually supporting B.V.Seetharam – this motley group is led by the likes of P.B.D’sa – known mostly for his support of murderers and securing bail for them, well known communal riot sponsors like U.T.Khader of Ullal (who is accused of actively participating in riots and looting in 2006 Mangalore communal riots and against whom FIR was filed) assorted bunch of leftists – from DYFI to CPI(M), violent organisations accused of communal riots like Karnataka Forum for Dignity (central intelligence sources have repeatedly mentioned this organisation as one of the most dangerous ISI supported organisations in Coastal Karnataka), Komusouharda Vedike etc

It is said that a man is judged from the company he keeps. Looking at those supporting B.V.Seetharam – it is evident that we are looking at who-is-who of “riot industry” and “professional full-time protesters” in Mangalore and Coastal Karnataka. A small group but a vocal group.

On question “Why Jain community is target of B.V.Seetharam’s attack” – answer is simple. Being a tiny minority (with dwindling population) Jains were an easy target of Karavali Ale. Plus, they are wealthy – so they were a natural target of sleazy journalism by B.V.Seetharam and Karavali Ale. As we reported earlier, B.V.Seetharam and Karavali Ale demanded money from Jain community when it was announced that Jain Muni Tarun Sagar is visiting Mangalore. When that demand was turned down, Seetharam resorted to daily bashing of Jains and Muni Tarun Sagar in his newspaper as well as his column called “Suttha Muttha” which ultimately resulted in jailing of Seetharam in Mangalore (and now in town of Sagar near Shimoga)

In short – a sleazy blackmail journalism attempt by Karavali Ale B.V.Seetharam went horribly wrong for him and he has now been arrested by police of two different districts in Karnataka for his nasty writings against a non-violent Muni Tarun Sagar and a model minority like Jains.

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WATCHDOG vs STREETDOG

As one of the readers wrote “Media is supposed to be watchdog in a democratic setup. But in Karavali Ale and B.V.Seetharam’s case – he became a mad dog like dogs of Bangalore street dogs. While dogs became violent and started hunting children in Bangalore due to roadside meat stalls and leftovers, B.V.Seetharam became emboldened over the years when his blackmailing sleazy journalism yielded financial riches of unimagined magnitude causing him to lose sense of reality and focus only on sleazy blackmail using his newspaper”

To portray this simple fact as some sort of curb on freedom of press is not only an insult to genuine journalists / media but also an insult to Indian Constitution which provides every citizen freedom to practice religion of his or her choice. 

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In Karavali Ale and B.V.Seetharam’s case, his days of smear campaign against Jain community and Muni Tarun Sagar was an attempt at creating hostile environment for this tiny community and police of Mangalore should be commended for taking quick action on the complaint and preventing further communal problems.

Karavali Ale and B.V.Seetharam are experts in creating communal riots as seen during attack on church in Kodikal and communal riots in Mangalore last year.

Readers of this blog are aware how Karavali Ale and B.V.Seetharam constributed to last year’s communal riots in Mangalore (read here to read how B.V.Seetharam was accused of accepting 5 Lakh rupees to publish false inflammatory stories) During the riots, situation would be calm in the morning and early afternoon. The moment Karavali Ale newspapers hit the stands, mobs angered by false inflammatory reports in Ale would attack shops and people.

So columns of Karavali Ale and B.V.Seetharam are not something that can be brushed under the pretext of “freedom of press” – they cater to disturbed section of the society (unemployed, semi-literates etc) resulting in immediate reaction – i.e. they have the power to create serious communal problems as evident from above links. Social problems created by Karavali Ale and BVSee are real in Coastal Karnataka – and those shouting about “freedom of press” sitting in their air conditioned offices at Bangalore and Chennai offices better do a field trip to Mangalore to see for themselves the reach and impact of Karavali Ale and its editor’s sleazy hate filled journalism.

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Keep your comments coming and if you are / were victim of Karavali Ale and B.V.Seetharam’s sleazy journalism contact us at udupipressvictim@gmail.com

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