Congress, BJP resort to blame game as Siddaramaiah cabinet withdraws Hubballi riots case

The Karnataka government’s decision to withdraw cases related to the April 2022 Hubballi riots has come under the scanner after the BJP petitioned Governor Thawarchand Gehlot seeking to reverse the decision, accusing the Siddaramaiah government of “appeasement politics”. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party staged a massive protest at Freedom Park in the state capital Bengaluru on Monday, opposing the Siddaramaiah cabinet’s decision to withdraw the cases following a petition from Anjuman-e-Islam.  Opposition leader R. Ashok, who led the protest and a delegation to meet the governor said their opposition should not be read as “communal” as it was a fight against the “anti-national” and “anti-social” elements. 

It may be recalled that 158 persons were arrested in the Hubballi riots case and among them, some were even charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). A derogatory post on social media had triggered the riots where a mob vandalised the police vehicles and attacked police personnel and civilians at the Old Hubballi police station. 

“Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar requested for the cases to be dropped against a particular community. This is appeasement at the cost of justice. The riots were not just communal in nature, but posed a challenge to the rule of law,” said Ashok. 

Defending the government decision, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said, “We are following the due process in law. After the cabinet nod, we need the court’s approval to drop the cases. Also, the allegation that we are favouring a particular community is not true. We have decided to withdraw cases involving farmers, Kannada activists, students and even some BJP leaders, not just minority community.”

Former chief minister and Haveri MP Basavaraj Bommai said, “It is a serious case. An attack on the police station is an attack on the state. The case has already been handed over to the NIA and the charge-sheet has been filed. The state government has no authority to withdraw a case handed over to the NIA under the UAPA. The government is well aware of this fact, but, it is trying to engage in appeasement of a certain section of society. This decision is sending a wrong message, especially when we have witnessed DJ Halli and KG Halli riot, the Mangaluru riots, and the Hubballi police station attack case.”

Union minister and Hubbali-Dharward MP Prahlad Joshi reiterated that the Hubballi riots case was under the NIA court’s jurisdiction and the state government had no say in it. 

“The trial court, High Court and the Supreme Court have denied bail to the accused. But the state government is supporting the rioters and those involved in terrorist activities,” said Joshi. 

Meanwhile, the BJP which is accusing the Siddaramaiah government of appeasing the minorities by withdrawing cases against now banned outfit PFI, SDPI activists and AIMIM till now, finds itself on the wrong foot too. 

The BJP government led by Basavaraj Bommai (in September 2021) had decided to withdraw criminal cases filed against Hindu activists based on the recommendations of the cabinet sub-committee. Interestingly, the Hindu activists had protested in front of then home minister and BJP leader Araga Jnanendra's home demanding a ban on PFI, following the murder of a Hindu activist and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru. The police had filed an FIR against 30 ABVP activists, who were later released on bail. 

“The BJP had also dropped charges against rioters in the past. In fact, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had dropped cases against himself,” taunted Parameshwara.