SDPI & Congress in blame-game over Bengaluru riot; Siddaramaiah calls govt a 'failure'

Social Democratic Party of India(SDPI) alleged that the BJP government and opposition party Congress made their party a scapegoat in the DJ Halli and KG Halli riots in Bengaluru and demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident. Addressing a press meet in Bengaluru, SDPI State President Elyas Muhammad Thumbe said, “They made scapegoats of SDPI because they want to hush up the failure of the government and Congress’ involvement in the riots. This is also to divert the minds of people and hush up the total conspiracy of the incident and drag us into the incident. We have concrete proof of the statement of Congress MLA Akand Srinivas alleging that his rivals in the Congress party have devised this ploy to stoke violence in the DJ Halli case. The rivalry between Sampath Raj and Srinivas is quite evident and the police are also aware of that. They are tarnishing our name though there is the scant presence of our workers in that constituency. Congress gets lakhs of votes in that constituency.” 

READ | Three More Held In Mumbai For Karnataka Realtor's Killing

“Judicial inquiry will reveal all the angles, there are so many angles. When a judicial inquiry is ordered, we will expose all evidence, whatever evidence we have, we will submit it to them. There is also BJP’s involvement. Congress factionism, Congress Rivalry, and Congress Rowdyism, everything should be probed. There is no question of mistrust of the police, they are very good people. Police sometimes will work under the pressure of the government. That is the history in our state. Even if there are enough facts in the case, they might change it for the benefit of the state government,” Elyas added.

READ | Karnataka Reports 8,161 New COVID-19 Cases, Total Discharges Breach Two Lakh Mark

Former Prime Minister HD Devegowda in a press release had also demanded a judicial probe in the violence. "An inquiry has to be conducted by a sitting high court judge regarding riots in the DJ Halli and KG Halli, I don't know about the internal politics of Congress in this riot, I don't want to comment about that. Magistrate inquiry will not bring out the truth, we know what has happened during the previous incidents. More than 300 people have been arrested in connection with the incident, but I still say, innocents should not be troubled and the government has to think about it.”

On the 19th of August, opposition party leader Siddaramaiah also demanded a judicial inquiry into the violence at the Devara Jeevanahalli and Kadugondanahalli by writing a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa, claiming it was an outcome of the “failure” of the government and the Intelligence department. If the government cannot protect an MLA and the police station then how can it protect the people of the state?

Demanding judicial inquiry is tactics used to delay the process, Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan talking to Republic Media said. “We have already ordered a magistrate probe, the investigation is on, so let it finish. Unnecessarily we don't want to postpone or delay the investigation. It is their tactic to kill the issue, so they want to delay and prolong from committee to committee. By doing this they want to get away, that is what they want by demanding another probe, which we are not willing to do.” 

READ | Karnataka Govt To Request Centre For Flood Relief Funds; CM To Visit Delhi Next Week

Former PM  Devegowda states that magistrate inquiry will not bring out the truth. But Ashwath Narayan said, “It was Deve Gowda’s opinion but our decision is to have a magistrate probe. Everybody is part of the system, everybody is discharging the duty with proof and evidence. There is no biased inquiry, it is done keeping in mind the interest of people. As early as possible facts and reports should come out. This is common with opposition to criticize the people who are holding the position.” 

The state government has appointed Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner GN Shivamurthy to take up a magisterial inquiry into the violence. Along with magistrate inquiry, even Central Crime Branch is doing a parallel inquiry into the case. So far 377 Suspects have been arrested in the violence and 65 different cases registered against the perpetrators including UAPA, atrocities, arson, looting, assault, and many more cases.

READ | Ex-Karnataka 'Singham' Cop Annamalai Kuppusamy Joins BJP; To Add Teeth To Tamil Nadu Unit

Image credits: PTI