A letter written by Home Minister G. Parameshwara to the Home Secretary to take “suitable action” on senior Congress MLA Tanveer Sait’s letter, which requested the withdrawal of cases against “innocents” in riot cases in places including D.J. Halli in Bengaluru, Shivamogga, and Hubballi has caused a stir.
Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took up a social media campaign condemning the letter on Wednesday. Several prominent BJP leaders alleged that the letter was a clear sign of “minority appeasement” by the Congress government. Many recalled that the previous Congress regime led by Siddaramaiah had withdrawn cases against the Popular Front of India (PFI), which was eventually banned for terror activities in 2022.
Clarification
However, Dr. Parameshwara clarified that neither he nor Mr. Sait had sought withdrawal of cases, but only a review of these cases to see if any innocents had been booked in them. “The review may lead to a decision that cases cannot be withdrawn as well,” he said.
Mr. Sait, speaking to media persons on Wednesday, said he had not asked for cases against everyone to be withdrawn. “Many students have been booked in these cases. Parents of these students and youths have been claiming their children are innocents and are framed in these cases. So I only appealed for a review of these cases and see if any innocents have been framed. I have not mentioned any community and don’t understand why the BJP is making it communal,” he said.
Where the cases stand
Mr. Sait’s letter seeks a review of cases in the D.J. Halli riots where violence broke out in 2020 following a derogatory remark on Prophet Mohammed on social media. The case is presently with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and sources said the State government did not have powers to review terror charges in the case.
Other cases pertain to riots in Shivamogga in May 2022, following the murder of Hindutva activist Harsha, and riots in Hubballi in April 2022 over a social media post. While the case pertaining to the murder of the Hindutva activist has been transferred to the NIA, the Shivamogga and Hubballi riot cases are with the State police.
What BJP leaders said
The former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the arrests in these cases were made based on video evidence and the arrested were not innocents. “The gravity of the crime is very severe; they have torched police stations. If they are given any protection, it will amount to supporting terrorists,” he claimed. Senior leaders K. S. Eshwarappa and V. Sunil Kumar were among the many leaders who tweeted.
