No one should dare to repeat such acts, Pralhad Joshi tells Karnataka HM

New Delhi: The BJP seems to be in no mood to let pass Tuesday night's violence in Bengaluru by members of a community over a controversial social media post. Union Minister Prahlad Joshi on Wednesday spoke to the Karnataka Home Minister demanding "stern actions" be taken against those responsible, so that they don't "dare to repeat" what happened.

Condemning the violence and vandalism, the Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister said: "Some section of people, under pretext of showing disrespect of some religion, took law into their hands. This can't be tolerated. I had a detailed discussion with the honourable Home Minister of Karnataka. I had requested and urged him to take stern actions against the culprits and actions should be such that nobody should dare to repeat such actions in future in any part of Karnataka or the country."

At least three people died and several others were injured in the violence and arson that resulted in parts of east Bengaluru after the inflammatory social media post. Around 60 police personnel sustained injuries in stone pelting by protesters and police had to open fire in order to bring the situation under control.

Over 100 rioters have been arrested, police said on Wednesday.

In a stern message to the perpetrators, Joshi, who hails from the state, said: "No one is above law, everybody should understand." He added that if anyone's feelings are hurt, they have recourse to legal means. "He can go and file a police complaint. No such actions, at any time, is acceptable. I strongly condemn and I also ask the concerned religious leaders also to condemn this," he added.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in the city while curfew was clamped in the D.J. Halli and K.G. Halli police station limits, with the two police stations being targets of the violence. Property of Akanda Srinivas Murthy, the Congress legislator from Pulakeshi Nagar constituency, was attacked and vandalised while several police vehicles were also damaged.

A mob had also gathered outside Congress legislator's house where they shouted slogans and demanded arrest of Naveen, who is related to Murthy, and had allegedly posted the derogatory remarks on social media.