Shivakumar seeks Modi’s apology for his ‘urban naxal’ remark

He criticises BJP govt. in State for imposing ban orders

Senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar has demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for referring to urban intellectuals and youth opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) as “urban naxals”.

Referring to a speech made by Mr. Modi in the national capital on Sunday, the Congress leader said the Prime Minister must tender an apology to the country for calling intellectuals and students protesting against the CAA as “urban naxals”.

The Karnataka BJP had called historian Ramachandra Guha as “urban naxal” for opposing the CAA and the NRC.

At the rally, Mr Modi categorically stated that pan-India NRC had not been discussed in the Union Cabinet and the CAA had nothing to do with Indian Muslims.

Speaking to presspersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Shivakumar claimed that the BJP could not have formed a government in the State as well as at the Centre without the support of these students and urban intellectuals, who were now being condemned for being out on the streets opposing the CAA.

He criticised the Modi government for its failure to tackle economic slowdown and unemployment, and said the parties supporting the NDA too have been opposing the CAA and the NRC. He slammed the B.S. Yediyurappa government in the State for imposing ban orders under Section 144 of the Cr.PC and restricting the movement of people and blocking the mobile Internet service.

At another press conference, the former Congress Minister U.T. Khader claimed the BJP created trouble in Mangaluru city to create problems for Mr. Yediyurappa. “It seems that a section of BJP leaders instigated the violence in the coastal city to bring bad name to Mr. Yediyurappa,” he alleged.

On BJP leaders’ allegation that the Congress was responsible for the violence, Mr. Khader said, “Whoever indulged in violence must be punished.”

Both Mr. Yediyurappa and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said they did not order police firing. “Then who did? Isn’t the police under the government’s control? That’s why we are pressing for a judicial inquiry,” Mr. Khader said.

The government has ordered both CID probe and a magisterial inquiry into last week’s violence in Mangaluru.