BJP leaders blame Congress for Hubballi riots

PTI, Apr 20, 2022, 7:05 PM IST

Bengaluru: The BJP leaders, including a Minister, on Wednesday blamed the Congress party for the recent Hubballi violence.

One of them demanded action like that taken by Uttar Pradesh against rioters.

Congress is clearly involved in all the riots right from KG Halli, DJ Halli in Bengaluru and Hubballi Old Town so as to bring bad name to the BJP and also to destroy communal harmony. This is Congress party’s attempt to create unrest, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka told reporters.

He alleged Congress party’s Hubballi district president Altaf Hallur was on the spot and was among those instigating the mob.

Congress has to clarify whether he is not a Congress president. The Maulvi Wasim Pathan is absconding. He was the one who stood on police commissioner’s car. There was scant respect for law and order, Ashoka said.

The BJP MLA from Honnali in Davangere district M P Renukacharya claimed that the Hubballi violence was pre-planned and the Karnataka government is taking stringent action against them.

“I appeal to the government to take action against the anti-nationals just like Yogi Adityanath is doing in Uttar Pradesh I had said ‘Teertha’ and ‘Prasada’ are served in temples but in mosques fire-arms are stored. My statement has come true, he told reporters in Davangere.

He alleged Madrassas were injecting anti-national ideas among the students and asked the government to ban them.

Former minister K S Eshwarappa said he condemns miscreants’ conspiracy to create unrest and riots in Karnataka.

We have seen the video showing the Maulvi on the top of a police vehicle, instigating a mob. We have heard the slogans like Those insulting the prophet should be beheaded’. The district Congress president was standing next to the Maulvi who was watching those pelting a Hanuman temple and hospital with stones. The stone-hurling people targeted policemen, Eshwarappa said in a press conference in Shivamogga.

A large number of Muslims hit the streets on Saturday midnight and went on the rampage. They were angry with a social media post showing a saffron flag on a mosque.

Many policemen were injured and their vehicles damaged by the rioters. They damaged a nearby Hanuman temple and a hospital too.