BJP claims Congress govt is turning Karnataka into ‘Islamic state like Kerala and Kashmir’

BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel said in a statement that he would lead the party’s “fact-finding committee” and that it would also have former ministers K S Eshwarappa, C N Ashwathnarayan and Araga Jnanendra, among others.

BJP former national general secretary C T Ravi, who demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, commented on the cut-outs of Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan put up ahead of the procession. He asked if “such glorification of Tipu and Aurangzeb did not promote tendencies for another partition”. “It is a small issue for Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara if Hindu houses are attacked,” he said.

BJP MLA Basangouda Patil, known for vitriolic remarks, alleged that the Siddaramaiah government was provoking Muslims “to create the same situation due to which Kerala and Kashmir turned into Islamic states”.

Patil also said that since the Congress came to power in the state earlier this year, “it is as if the Taliban government has taken over”. “Due to the incidents happening today, there is a question of who will protect the Hindus,” he said at a news conference held along with Ravi.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy lashed out at the Opposition party. “The BJP, when it is not in power, resorts to such acts like making people fight, stirring communal riots and spreading false propaganda against the Congress. They do the same when they are in power. Moral policing, communal riots and assaults (are frequent under them),” he said.

Reddy also hinted that BJP workers could have been behind the violence in Shivamogga. “BJP workers change their name and attire. They are born with these traits,” he said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Tuesday that the government would take action against those responsible for the rioting.