Pic: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Dec 23: Former chief minister and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah held Karnataka chief minister Yediyurappa and home minister Basavaraj Bommai responsible for the violence that erupted in Mangaluru.
Addressing media here on Monday, December 23, Siddaramaiah said, "The recent violence that erupted in Mangaluru, opposing Citizenship Amendment Act has claimed two innocent lives in police firing. I have visited the relatives of the deceased and paid my condolences. I have also gathered necessary information and the reason behind the violence.”
“I was supposed to visit Mangaluru on December 20. However, the Mangaluru police commissioner issued me a notice and stopped me from visiting. In spite of being an opposition leader, I was stopped from doing my duties and this is murder of democracy. CM Yediyurappa was allowed. Even MP Shobha Karandlaje was allowed. Why was she allowed? Did she represent people of Mangaluru? Why was the leader of opposition not allowed?” Siddaramaiah lashed out.
He further said,” When I was in power, I was not aware that police had rifles as such violence had never occurred during my tenure. When Yediyurappa stepped in to power, police open fired in Mangaluru. Even the attack on farmers, church attack happened during his tenure. This shows that the government, law and order is a failure,” he said.
“There was widespread protest in the entire state, but there was no need of imposing section 144. There was no situation warranted. If the section 144 was not imposed, then people would have protested peacefully. It is a fundamental right to protest on any wrong policies of the government,” said Siddaramaiah.
“Despite of section 144 in Bengaluru, protestors were allowed to protest peacefully. Around 10,000 people gathered and it was possible for Bengaluru police to control the crowd without lathi-charge. Why the same was not possible in Mangaluru, when there were only 150 to 200 protestors? Police are lying,” he added.
Siddaramaiah also said, “I have seen the video of a cop saying that despite shooting several times not a single one died. This indicates that cops had an intention to kill. The cop who said that has to be dismissed. There is an atmosphere of fear in Mangaluru. I have seen the spot where shoot out took place. It seems that the open firing was done intentionally by the police. Supreme Court has given criteria on how open firing has to be done. This was not followed. Police had given permission for the protest but section was imposed overnight. I have even seen police barging into the hospital, kicking doors of the ICU. Chief Minister says that mob tried to enter the weapon room. Was the chief minister an eye witness? He himself is giving certificate to the police.”
“So I demand that a judicial probe has to done by a sitting High Court judge. It is unfortunate that deceased people’s name was filed in the FIR. So far students, and coolie workers who have no connection with the incident are arrested. Even police have chased the mob and pelted stones on them. Police instigated violence, as the violence was started by the government. Chief minister Yediyurappa and home minister Basavaraj Bommai are responsible for this,” said Siddaramaih.
He further said, “I have given Rs 5 lac each to the family of deceased and Rs 2.5 lac from district Congress committee to the deceased.”
When asked about Suresh Angadi’s statement on police rifles are not kept for performing pooja, Siddramaiah said,” Suo motto case needs to be registered and it is an irresponsible and provocative statement made by the minister and he is unfit to be a minister.”
“A case has been registered against Khader. What about Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat who enacted demolition of Babri masjid in his school? This is illegal, provocative and an offence. Even Nalin Kumar Kateel, Shobha Karandlaje and CT Ravi have delivered such statements,” said Siddaramaiah
With regard to Jharkhand elections, Siddaramaiah said, “We have won the Jharkhand elections with majority. Modi and Shah were trying to make Congress free country and now people are set out to make BJP free country.”
Former minister M B Patil, MLAs Zameer Ahmed and U T Khader, MLC Ivan D’Souza, former minister Ramanath Rai, former MLAs J R Lobo and Abhayachandra Jain and others were present.