Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Monday demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah apologise to the people of the state over the communal violence in Maddur town during a Ganesha immersion procession.
The BJP leader alleged that the Congress government’s appeasement politics has emboldened miscreants and created a “peculiar situation” where Hindus were treated as “second-class citizens.” "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should tender an apology for insulting Goddess Chamundeshwari, Dharmasthala and now for the Maddur incident,” he demanded.
Ashoka told reporters in Bengaluru that the stone-pelting on the Ganesha procession in Maddur on September 7 was not an isolated incident but a larger plan.
He accused the Congress of "indirectly backing" such acts through its policies and statements.
"This is a heinous act. People are in a state of confusion whether this is Karnataka or Pakistan. This has been going on for the past two years. After Dharmasthala and Chamundeshwari temple, it is now the turn of Maddur town," Ashoka alleged.
He said police should not be blamed for this incident, but the state government, which "encourages" such elements.
"You know that they throw stones. This is a public road where Ganesha procession was taken out and nobody's ancestral property. This is the road belonging to the people of Karnataka, it’s taxpayers' road," the BJP leader said.
Ashoka charged the administration with "deliberately failing" to prevent the clashes.
He pointed out that had the government deployed a reserved police van, there would have been no need for “thousands of policemen, lathi charge, hospitalisation and protests.” The LoP questioned why police resorted to caning protestors but did not act firmly against those who hurled stones.
Ashoka further charged that the Congress government had set a precedent by failing to act against those who raised “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans in the past.
“After this, people realised that when nothing happened to those who raised Pakistan Zindabad slogans, the 'Tipu gang' were inspired and resorted to riots. They have drawn a plan in Mandya and Mysuru to target Hindus. When Deputy CM D K Shivakumar says Goddess Chamundeshwari doesn't belong to Hindus alone and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah allowed the SIT to barge into Dharmasthala, others are emboldened,” the BJP leader said.
He claimed that Hindus were being systematically targeted and reduced to second-class citizens.
“Today, Hindus have become second-class citizens in their own country. It's a peculiar situation. We don't know whether there is any government or it has died. Should they (Congress) sell the nation for the vote bank politics? If you question them, they quickly pick up the Constitution book. Is this how you are protecting the Constitution?” Ashoka asked.
The BJP leader also targeted the police, accusing them of "bias".
“The question today is why Hindus are being targeted. Why caning Hindus only? Are police stations meant only for Hindus? You put hundreds of conditions for Ganesha procession. We are not allowed to take out a procession. Hanuman Dhwaja was forcibly removed in Nagamangala. In the same Nagamangala, you take Ganesha and put it in the police station. If you question them, they say Hindus are behind the disturbance,” he alleged.
Warning that the present situation could worsen if Hindus do not unite, Ashoka appealed directly to the people.
“If we Hindus don't unite today, this is going to be our fate. I am telling the people that Siddaramaiah can do anything for votes, to save his position and to remain in power. For power, they (Congress) can create rift between castes,” he said.
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