Congress behind violence in Hubballi, says BJP

Former minister KS Eshwarappa said district Congress president was standing next to the maulvi who was watching those pelting

A day after videos of the Hubballi district Congress president Altaf Hallur being present at the site of the violence circulated, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said the party was behind the clashes at the old police station.

Former minister K S Eshwarappa, who recently resigned over corruption charges, slammed the Congress party over its worker being present in front of the Hubballi police station where the violence broke out. (ANI)

Karnataka revenue minister R Ashoka on Wednesday said that the Congress party is involved in the Hubballi violence case and was behind the 2020 DJ Halli riots in Bengaluru.

“Congress is clearly involved in all the riots right from KG Halli, DJ Halli in Bengaluru and Hubballi Old Town so as to bring bad name to the BJP and also to destroy communal harmony. This is Congress party’s attempt to create unrest,” Ashoka told reporters.

He alleged that the Congress party’s Hubballi district president Altaf Hallur was on the spot and was among those instigating the mob. “Congress has to clarify whether he is not a Congress president. The Maulvi Wasim Pathan is absconding. He was the one who stood in the police commissioner’s car (a police jeep as clarified by the Hubballi police commissioner). There was scant respect for law and order,” Ashoka said.

BJP MLA from Honnali in Davangere district M P Renukacharya said that the Hubballi violence was pre-planned and the Karnataka government is taking stringent action against them.

Former minister K S Eshwarappa, who recently resigned over corruption charges, slammed the Congress party over its worker being present in front of the police station where the violence broke out. “We have seen the video showing the maulvi (cleric) on the top of a police vehicle, instigating a mob. We have heard the slogans like “Those insulting the prophet should be beheaded’. The district Congress president was standing next to the maulvi who was watching those pelting a Hanuman temple and hospital with stones. The stone-hurling people targeted policemen,” Eshwarappa said in a press conference in Shivamogga.

“BJP leaders have a habit of blaming Congress for everything. Our district president Altaf has gone there because the police requested him to come. He was asking the crowd to calm down and maintain peace. He was hit by stones, his hand is fractured. Now if they are claiming that Congress workers have done it, why haven’t they arrested anyone? I have spoken to the (Hubballi police) commissioner and he has given a brief on the incident. Let Ashok or Eshwarappa say what they want, there is law in the country and it will take its course,” said KPCC president DK Shivakumar.

In a video that surfaced on Tuesday, Altaf Hallur was seen standing on top of a police jeep trying to talk to the mob gathered outside the police station. The leader’s voice was not audible in the video. Talking to HT, Hallur said that he was trying to pacify the mob by standing on top of the jeep. “I was telling them to calm down. I didn’t have a mic with me, so I was standing on the vehicle to stop the mob. All I have to say is that let the police investigate and bring out the truth. The BJP is trying to create communal tensions while we are saying the law should take its course,” he said.

Trouble began in the old Hubbali district, 400 kms away from Bengaluru when an alleged objectionable post offending religious sentiments surfaced on social media late on Saturday night. The post allegedly showed a digitally altered image of a saffron flag flying over a masjid, Hubballi-Dharwad police commissioner Labhu Ram said.

Subsequently, the person who made the post – later identified as Abhishek Hiremath, a resident of Huballi town–was arrested after a case was registered based on a complaint by residents at the Udupi town police station.

However, not satisfied with the action, a few people gathered around the police station. They were persuaded and later dispersed from the spot, Ram said.

Later around midnight, a group of people gathered around the police station and summoned police officials to apprise them about the action taken so far. The mob, however, refused to listen to them and went on a rampage, damaging police vehicles, Ram said. They also resorted to stone pelting, he added.

Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra also said a mob surrounded the police station and attacked the cops in the early hours of Sunday. A police inspector was believed to have suffered critical injuries. At least 10 people were admitted to the hospital with minor injuries.

Hubballi police said that fresh arrests have been made on Wednesday and said that consolidated numbers will be given on Thursday.