Bengaluru: The political temperature in Karnataka heating up after a recent Cabinet decision led by CM Siddaramaiah decided to withdraw a controversial Hubli riot criminal case, as the opposition BJP resorted to massive protests.
Referring to the recent Cabinet decision on the withdrawal of criminal case of Hubli riots, Opposition l R Ashoka alleged that CM Siddaramaiah is running the government in Tippu Sultan style. He charged that the government in Karnataka was indulged in Muslim appeasement politics. As part of this, BJP workers staged a demonstration in Bengaluru launching an attack on the ruling Congress Government over the withdrawal of the Hubli criminal case.
Ashoka also hit back at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, saying BJP workers are "true patriots" and strongly rejected Kharge's recent remark calling the BJP as a "party of terrorists."
The BJP MLC CT Ravi responded to Siddaramaiah's defence that even the previous BJP Government, too, had dropped cases involving RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers. Ravi countered that the BJP did not withdraw serious or "heinous" cases, unlike the Congress Government.
Vijayendra said this is just a symbolic protest against the anti-Hindu Govt and warned that if the government doesn't take its decision back about the Hubli riot case, the agitation would be intensified. R Ashoka-led delegation submitted a memorandum with the Governor urging to take action against the Siddaramaiah-led Congress Government.
Responding to the allegations, Home Minister G Parameshwara said they are trying to politicise everything which is not fair, they being the opposition, should help us run the government with suggestions and positive criticism and not indulge in unnecessary criticism for political gains.
Parameshwara highlighted the procedure that is usually followed in the matter of withdrawing cases. He said a cabinet sub-committee headed by the Home Minister decided to withdraw the case only after its examination in the department and again it is sent to the Cabinet, which ultimately takes a decision. After the Cabinet's approval the matter goes before the respective courts for final decision, he said.
Notably, on April 16, 2022, a mob attacked a police station and pelted stones at policemen in Hubli City, in the Northern Karnataka region and a criminal case was registered against around 150 individuals under the stringent UAPA. In this regard, the city-based prominent social organisation Anjuman-e-Islam had submitted a memorandum to the government urging for the withdrawal of the said case terming it to be false and unjust. Recently, the state cabinet decided to drop these charges as part of a broader initiative to dismiss 43.
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