Seetharam and his wife, who edit and publish the Karavali Ale, were placed under arrest for creating a rift between the sizable number of Jains and other communities in the region through a series of articles that were highly critical of the practice of nudity among Jain monks. The arrest was made on the basis of a complaint filed by the president of a bus owners association K Rajavarma Ballal.

Based on the complaint, the Mangalore district police took up a case against Seetharam for promoting enmity between religions, disturbing national integration and deliberately outraging religious feelings. The case is being seen as an attack on the freedom of speech in a region that is politically dominated by the Sangh Parivar.

But, few people have expressed support for Seetharam and his wife so far. The CPI (M) has sought the resignation of district-in-charge BJP minister B Nagaraj Shetty for the action against the Karavali Ale.

“What has been published is certainly objectionable, but they are paying the price for a common grouse nursed against them by a lot of people, including police officers and ministers,” a senior police officer from the region said.

Seetharam’s office had recently been vandalised and he had blamed the Sangh Parivar for the attack. The claim had been rejected by the police. “I understand they have been arrested on grounds of inciting communal disharmony. The courts should step in when the law is misused,” former judge of the Karnataka high court M F Saldanha said. “They are not terrorists or hardcore criminals to be denied bail.” Mangalore Additional SP Lokesh Kumar argued that the charges against Seetharam and his wife were cognizable and non-bailable.