Ahead of Assembly polls in Karnataka, a Government circular sent to all district police heads to withdraw cases against innocent minorities has created a major political row between Opposition BJP and the ruling Congress. The BJP which is fighting tooth and nail to make Congress mukt Karnataka came down on this initiative of the Siddaramaiah as a politically loaded ahead of elections. The saffron party also criticised and mocked Siddaramaiah’s appeasement politics.
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's secular mask is off and his Government's blatantly communal face is in front of everyone,” former Chief Minister and the BJP's presumptive candidate for the State's top post BS Yeddyurappa declared after his party released the letter written by a top Karnataka police officer.
BJP released the circular to the media issued by Assistant Inspector General of Police, which asked the police divisions in the state to give details of cases from the last five years where people from minority communities were booked for communal violence. This was the fourth reminder issued by the police. Reacting sharply to the circular issued by Karnataka government BJP State president BS Yeddyurappa said Chief Minister’s hypocrisy has been exposed and wants the circular to be withdrawn. He said “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's secular mask is off and his Government's blatantly communal face is in front of everyone.”
BJP leader and MP Shobha Karandajle has demanded immediate withdrawal of the circular issued by the DG and IGP which envisages withdrawal of cases filed against minorities in communal incidents.
“We are considering withdrawal of not just cases filed against people from minority communities during communal disturbances, but also farmers during agitations and pro-Kannada activists during agitations,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Clarifying the Government’s stand, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said: “We are looking at minor cases where people have been booked and considering their withdrawal. No big cases will be withdrawn.” He said the previous BJP Government in the state had also withdrawn cases against Hindutva activists.
The letter sent out to police chiefs in 22 districts for cases registered against minorities over the last five years that could be withdrawn.
“You are once again reminded to file a report with documents in this regard with your clear opinion on dropping cases against minorities in communal and other cases to this office immediately,” the letter said.
BJP has been demanding a ban on the PFI which is allegedly involved in killing of Hindu activists.
Meanwhile another twitter war between BJP president Amit Shah and chief minister Siddaramaiah erupted just two days after Amit Shah in a Mysuru rally had accused the Siddaramaiah government of being “synonymous with corruption” and also accused him of protecting the killers of Hindu activists. The twitter spat has
Shah also had tweeted: “Siddaramaiah govt. has crossed all limits of corruption. In Karnataka, Siddaramaiah and corruption are synonyms. Siddaramaiah means corruption and corruption means Siddaramaiah.”
later chief minister Siddaramaiah tweeted: “Says an ex-jail bird, who chose another former jail bird to be his party’s CM candidate for our Karnataka election. Can he present facts about the so-called corruption charges against me or my govt.IJ Just telling lies won’t help. People will not believe his #jumlas.”
Union Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda tweeted in his reply to chief minister . “Congress (I) was formed by ex-jail bird who became ex-prime minister of the country for corruption. Her son ex-prime minister would have permanently remained as jail bird for Bofors corruption but sadly your party-sponsored terrorism assassinated him... Need more list sirIJ”.