DAVANGERE: Opposition BJP has sought Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s intervention to revoke the state government’s decision to withdraw criminal cases against those allegedly involved in communal violence to disrupt the worship by devotees at the Raghava Chaitanya Shivalinga in Aland town of Kalaburagi district.
Speaking to mediapersons after submitting a memorandum to the Governor, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanswamy, said the state government decided to withdraw cases to appease the minority community. He said withdrawal of cases against those involved in attacks on police personnel and officials will adversely affect public confidence in the criminal justice system and demoralise the police force.
“The brazen act of the Government of Karnataka in arbitrarily and lackadaisically withdrawing serious criminal cases pending against the accused has severe adverse repercussions on the enforcement and administration of criminal law in the state,”the BJP leaders stated in a memorandum submitted to the Governor. The move raises substantial questions concerning public interest, victims’ rights, prosecutorial independence, and the maintenance of the rule of law, the BJP leader said.
“This minority appeasement has the potential to embolden anti-social elements in different parts of the state. The Congress government has set a dangerous precedent,” Narayanswamy said.
He said Sri Raghava Chaitanya Mandir, which has this 800-year-old Shivalinga, is a holy and divine place which is visited by people belonging to all sections of society, he said. While desecrating the temple was most heinous, the withdrawal of cases against the rioters is equally outrageous, Narayanaswamy said.
On Monday, several BJP leaders, including the party state unit president BY Vijayendra, took part in a rally in Kalaburagi to protest against the state government’s decision to withdraw the cases against those involved in violence on the day of Shivaratri in 2022 near Ladle Mashak Dargah in Aland town.
