BENGALURU: Former Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Thursday said the BJP state government is not taking the decision to ban the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) for political reasons. Terming the SDPI and radical right-wing organisations as two sides of the same coin, Reddy said, “Let the government ban the SDPI. It is Congress votes that get divided and that is the reason the government is not taking the decision to ban the SDPI, but only make allegations.” After Tuesday’s violence in Bengaluru, several BJP leaders sought action against the SDPI.
Reddy, who is also a member of the Congress party’s fact-finding committee, said the police must taken stern action against those responsible for violence and arson at the police station and the Congress MLA’s residence on Tuesday night. On a Congress corporator’s husband being named in the FIR, former Home Minister KJ George said the police can investigate the case and all details will come out.
“It is not correct to comment about the probe now. If police call me for questioning, I will go,” George said, responding to allegations that the person named in the FIR was his close associate. Former DyCM G Parameshwara said that during the first meeting of the committee, members discussed various aspects of the incident and the need to visit the site to talk to people and ascertain their views.
Since curfew has been imposed in the area, the Police Commissioner asked them to visit after Saturday, he said, adding that it is better to keep politics away from the incident and that all details will be known after the probe. Former Minister Satish Jarkiholi said the Congress party will not support anyone involved in violence and the police must conduct a detailed probe and take action.