Karnataka to modify draft circular on case withdrawal

Siddaramaiah Sunday said, “It is wrong to say that the government is considering withdrawal of cases only against minorities.” (Express Photo/File)

In the wake of accusations of minority appeasement, the Congress government in Karnataka has decided to modify a proposed circular that was to be issued by the state police department to police units, seeking details of cases filed against “innocent minorities’’ so that they can be considered for withdrawal.

State Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said the re-drafted circular will not refer to minorities, but seek details of cases filed against innocent people during protests and agitations for consideration for withdrawal. The state government’s move comes after opposition BJP put out a draft copy on social media of a police department circular, seeking details of cases where “innocent minorities” had been booked in the course of communal disturbances in the past five years for consideration for withdrawal.

The BJP accused CM Siddaramaiah of working against Hindus by seeking to drop cases against people from minority communities. “Every government in the past has withdrawn cases filed against Kannada activists and farmers… It was not done on the basis of minority or majority communities,’’ BJP general secretary Shobha Karandlaje said.

Home Minister Reddy said the circular was wrongly drafted. Siddaramaiah Sunday said, “It is wrong to say that the government is considering withdrawal of cases only against minorities. Irrespective of caste and community, we withdraw cases against innocent people booked for participation in agitations,’’ he said.