Bengaluru
The Karnataka BJP has requested Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to intervene and reverse the state cabinet’s decision to withdraw cases against those involved in the Hubballi riots. A delegation led by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka met with the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Monday, presenting a memorandum outlining their concerns.
The delegation included notable BJP leaders such as Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former Deputy Chief Ministers Govind Karjol and C.N. Ashwath Narayan, and BJP MLC N. Ravikumar. They asserted that the incidents in Hubballi were akin to acts of terrorism and expressed their disappointment that the government chose to ignore the police and judiciary’s stance against dropping the charges.
Ashoka emphasized that withdrawing these cases would embolden anti-national elements and undermine the rule of law. He highlighted that political pressure on the Congress government influenced this decision, which many view as favoritism toward certain communities at the expense of justice. He pointed out that Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had written to the Karnataka government requesting the case be dropped.
The decision to withdraw around 60 cases, including those from the violent April 2022 riots in Hubballi, has raised alarms within the police department, especially since many officers were injured during the unrest. Ashoka stressed that this situation should not be treated lightly and must be seen as a broader fight against anti-national forces undermining the Indian Constitution and law.
