BJP demands judicial probe into Shivamogga violence

NT Correspondent

Kolar: BJP leader and former Minister C T Ravi on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the violence that erupted during a religious procession in the district headquarters town of Shivamogga.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, speaking to reporters in the district headquarters town of Chamarajanagara, accused the state government of tying the hands of the police under the pressure of appeasement politics, which led to their inaction and letting stone pelting happen.

"Wielding of swords, taking it in a procession, painting the Akhanda Bharat map in green with Aurangzeb's picture on it along with certain statements glorifying them, erecting banners and cutouts of Tipu and Aurangzeb who killed Hindus -- shows the kind of culture they want to nurture here," she said and hit out CM Siddaramaiah and (Home Minister G) Parameshwara accusing them of supporting it.

The situation in Ragi Gudda area in Shivamogga, where prohibitory orders have been clamped, after tension during the Eid Milad procession and alleged incidents of stone pelting on Sunday evening, is now peaceful and under control, police said.

Asking Siddaramaiah whether he had come to power only because of Muslims, Karandlaje said: "Who will protect Hindus?" and blamed the Congress government for letting such a thing happen for the sake of appeasement politics.

Further questioning as to what action the government will take against those responsible and the conspirators, she hit out at Parameswara for calling it a minor incident, and said, "This is appeasement.''