Bengaluru, Feb 11 (IANS) BJP mounting a scathing attack on the Karnataka government over a violent mob attack on police station in Mysuru and termed it a fallout of Chief Minister’s ‘soft stand’ towards the religious fanatics.
Mysure, the hometown of CM Siddaramaiah witnessed violence on Wednesday as a mob armed with stones gheraoed a police station in the city and pelted stones at it, apparently enraged over an inflammatory social media post.
Opposition leader R. Ashoka, speaking to reporters, criticized the Congress government as well as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and stated that his decision to withdraw cases against radicals and fanatics has given them the courage to even attack the police.
“Karnataka’s law and order have deteriorated under the Congress government. Just like in Hubballi, an attack on the police has now taken place in Mysuru, the native of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,” he said.
He alleged that Muslim fanatics, angered by a social media post about Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal, carried stones in bags and launched an attack on the police station on Monday.
He claimed that the majority community was also threatened by the fanatics and that an atmosphere of fear prevailed in the city.
He further claimed that the withdrawal of cases against those involved in the Hubballi riots has emboldened them.
“When Congress leaders like Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar say this is a government for minorities, it gives them the confidence that they can even destroy police stations. On one hand, there is a financial crisis, and on the other, the law-and-order situation has collapsed. Even if cases are filed against Muslims now, the police know it will be in vain. If there is no fear of the police, it means the system is dead. The entire system is being ruined for vote bank politics,” Ashoka remarked.
Responding to allegations by opposition leader R. Ashoka, the Home Minister said, “Let Ashoka first assess the situation and then offer his advice. Whenever there is an issue related to Muslims, he labels it as appeasement. He has no other agenda apart from that. It is not right to make such statements in all situations.”
Ashoka also took a jab at Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, accusing him of defying AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge by attending the Kumbh Mela and praising the Uttar Pradesh government’s arrangements there.
“Kharge must clarify whether his Congress is the real Congress or if Shivakumar’s Congress is the real one. Congress workers are now confused about whom to trust and follow,” he mocked.
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara has stated that orders have been issued to arrest those who incited violence by pelting stones at the Udayagiri police station in Mysuru and to take legal action against them.
Earlier, Karnataka Police had detained one person in connection with a controversial social media post making communal comments against a particular community while celebrating the defeat of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in New Delhi Assembly elections which triggered tension in Mysuru city.
The accused, a resident of Kalyannagar in Mysuru, had put up a post ridiculing Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, former Chief Ministers Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal.The post went viral on social media on Monday night.
By late on Monday night, a group belonging to the minority community gathered in front of the Udayagiri police station demanding action against the accused person.
Though, the police tried to pacify the crowd and even roped in religious leaders who requested them to calm down but the situation turned violent and the crowd started pelting stones on the police station.
IANS
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