Congress suspects BJP's hand in Hubballi violence

Bengaluru: The communal riots that broke out on Saturday in Hubballi, have resulted in a political slugfest, with the opposition parties Congress and JD (S) demanding 'protection of the innocent' and the ruling BJP hardening its stance and wanting the government to render a 'bulldozer' effect on the rioters.

JD (S) leaer H.D. Kumaraswamy said, "Those who have pelted stones may be innocent youth who have been drawn into this riot without their knowledge. The police should not arrest the innocent persons."

He, however, hastened to add that "Attacking police stations and public vehicles is not pardonable."

Within a few minutes, the BJP leaders had issued statements stating that Kumaraswamy was supporting the rioters belonging to a certain minority community. "How does he know that they were innocent? Pelting stones at the police station, temples and damaging public vehicles cannot be an act of innocence and it's was clear case of cynical reaction of hardened communal goondas.

May the former Chief Minister take them under his wings, but we in the government will not spare them and each one of them who has destroyed the Hanuman temple in Hubballi and pelted stones at the police station and injured policemen, will be charged under most serious sections under both IPC and CrPC," Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi said.

MLA from BJP Raju Gowda and Basanagouda Patil Yathnal wanted the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to come down with a heavy hand on the rioters.

"Don't show mercy on those people who have ravaged our Hanuman temple and the police station, Are we still in the middle ages or under an Islamic rule?"

Yathnal went one step further and wanted the Karnataka government to replicate the 'bulldozer' model of Uttar Pradesh.

He asked the party functionaries who are also in the government to seek advice from their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh and take stringent action against those who attack police stations and pelt stones on temples.

Senior Congress leaders like D.K. Shivakumar and S Siddaramiah also wanted the probe and they both questioned the police and the government for suspecting Muslims behind the violence. "Who knows they (BJP) themselves might have hatched a conspiracy?"