Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Thursday slammed the BJP for “glorifying” the communal violence that occurred during an Eid-e-Milad procession in Shivamogga recently.
“The police have taken action against the miscreants who were responsible for the Shivamogga incident and cases have also been lodged againt them. Even after this, the BJP leaders are glorifying the incident. Why this glorification? Is it for political gains? Or are you (BJP) desperate that no death was reported?” the Minister queried.
“The BJP was eagerly looking forward to the fact that someone would get killed in the incident. They are masters in playing politics over dead bodies in the whole country. No matter who dies, like how leeches take birth all of sudden during rainy seasons, BJP leaders get activated,” he stated.
Rao also claimed that similar incidents like the one in Shivamogga were also reported in the state during the former BJP government’s tenure.
“Then the BJP government only gave assurance of taking action. But, our government had taken action against the culprits without showing any mercy,” he noted.
“It is the responsibility of the government to establish peace in the society.We will not be under any obligation to achieve this.”
Reacting to the Shivamogga incident, the Karnataka BJP said on Wednesday that it would not tolerate the Congress government’s policy of stubbornness to keep snubbing the Hindus, adding tha it will give a befitting reply.
“Do not provoke the Hindus or try to threaten with swords or knives, befitting answers will be given. If Hindus are attacked, inevitably they will also have to defend and attack. If you think Hindus will be tolerant at all times, it is foolishness,” BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said on Wednesday while addressing a joint press conference at the party headquarters in Bengaluru with Arvind Bellad and former national general secretary C.T. Ravi.
Karnataka DGP and IGP Alok Mohan has said that 27 FIRs have been registered and 64 persons arrested since the incident occurred last Sunday.
–IANS