HUBBALLI: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said here on Wednesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called up the father of Neha Hiremath, who was brutally stabbed to death on the college campus by her former classmate last Thursday, five days after the incident to cut political losses ahead of the Lok Sabha polls as the public sentiment is totally against the state government.
He told reporters that Siddaramaiah has no real concern for Neha’s family. “If he had, he would have called Neha’s father Niranjan Hiremath, who is also Congress corporator in Hubballi, on the day of the incident and should have assured justice to the family. Why did he wait for days to send Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil and try to console Hiremath’s family over phone,” he asked.
Neha’s killing is the talk of every household in villages. To save its face, Congress is playing the drama of consoling the bereaved family, he alleged.
Dismissing the allegation against BJP of politicising Neha’s murder, Joshi said he raises his voice against injustice meted out to anybody, whether they are Hindus or Muslims. “It is not politicising the issue, but an effort to ensure justice,” he added. Instead, accusing Congress of playing vote bank politics, he said, “Shouldn’t no one raise their voice if persons belonging to BJP and Hindus are killed and girls are attacked in the state?”