Karnataka Home Minister instructs officials to examine request to withdraw cases, BJP reacts sharply
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has asked officials to examine the request of a Congress MLA to withdraw cases against "innocent" youths and students, who were arrested under "false cases" in connection with protests and riots in the city's D J Halli and K G Halli, Shivamogga and Hubballi among other places.
The opposition BJP has sharply reacted to this and has accused the Congress government in the state of giving "clean chit to the communal criminals of one community and playing to the tune of Jihadists and PFI terrorists".
Parameshwara has, in a July 19 note to Principal Secretary-Prisons, Civil Defence and Auxiliary Services (PCAS), Home Department, cited a request letter by Narasimharaja MLA and former Minister Tanveer Sait in this regard.
"It has been requested that innocent youths and students have been arrested under false cases in connection with protests and riots in Bengaluru's D J Halli and K G Halli, Shivamogga, Hubballi and other places, and to withdraw cases in accordance with rules, after review. It is instructed to take necessary action in this regard after review," the Home Minister's note said.
Hitting out at the government and the Home Minister, Karnataka BJP in a tweet said, "It seems that @DrParameshwara is functioning hanging a board that they (government) will give a clean chit to the communal criminals of 'one' community! Is there anything more shameful than this? This letter proves that this government is playing to the tune of Jihadists and PFI terrorists. BJP will continue to fight against all kinds of anti-Hindu policies of #JihadiSarkara ."
Noting that DJ Halli and KG Halli riots were one of the worst in which the rioters set the police station on fire, Senior BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal tweeted, "Siddaramaiah 1.0 government had withdrawn cases against PFI goons, who were responsible for riots and murders of Hindu activists in the state. Now, Home Minister Parameshwara has directed the Home Secretary to take measures to withdraw cases against rioters."
Three people were killed and over 50 injured in the violence that erupted in D J Halli and K G Halli, allegedly due to a derogatory social media post by a relative of the then Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy in August 2020.
The MLA's house and the KG Halli police station were torched in the riots.
Some communal incidents had resulted in violent protests in Shivamogga, Hubballi and few other places in the state during the previous BJP rule.
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Assam records nearly 18 pc voter turnout in first two hours of assembly polls
Guwahati (PTI): A voter turnout of 17.87 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of the assembly elections in Assam, where the BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is striving to reclaim a state it lost a decade ago.
Polling began at 7 am for the 126-member assembly, and 17.87 per cent of the state's 2.5 crore voters exercised their franchise till 9 am, officials said.
A total of 722 candidates are in the fray for the elections, which is largely witnessing a direct contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the opposition bloc helmed by the Congress.
The river island of Majuli recorded the highest turnout in the first two hours at 20.03 per cent, while Tamulpur in the Bodoland Territorial Region witnessed the lowest at 15.32 per cent.
Voters began queuing outside polling booths since early morning, despite rain in many parts of the state.
Prominent candidates who have cast their votes so far include Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia in Nazira, Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi in Khowang, and BJP's Pradyut Bordoloi.
Votes are being cast at 31,490 polling stations across the 35 districts of the state, with polling concluding at 5 pm.
Among the heavyweight candidates whose fates would be decided in this election are Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi.
The Congress has fielded the highest number of candidates at 99, followed by the BJP with 90. The AIUDF has 30 candidates, while NDA constituents Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) are contesting 26 and 11 seats, respectively.
In the opposition bloc, Raijor Dal is contesting 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) 10, CPI(M) 3 and APHLC 2. Other parties in the fray include AAP (18), UPPL (18), TMC (22), JMM (16), besides 258 Independents.
Algapur-Katlicherra and Karimganj South have the highest number of candidates at 15 each, while nine constituencies -- Rangia, Jagiroad (SC), Hojai, Naduar, Jonai (ST), Doomdooma, Mahmora, Teok and Lakhipur -- have only two candidates each.
