A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fact-checking committee, led by former deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan, on Monday visited the Nelamangala town in Mandya district where communal clashes broke out during a religious procession on September 11.
Speaking to the reporters later, Narayan and his team criticised the Congress-led state government, accusing it of failing to maintain peace and order in Karnataka and doing “appeasement politics”.
“The Congress government is more focused on appeasing certain groups rather than ensuring law and order. They lack clarity, and their divisive approach only leads to more incidents like this,” Narayan said.
The BJP leader also called for swift justice for the victims of the violence. He stressed that those who had suffered losses should be compensated, and the true perpetrators should be held accountable.
“It is crucial to make sure that innocent lives are not affected. We are committed to finding out who is responsible and exposing any connections behind the violence,” he added.
Narayan also mentioned that the committee’s objective was to uncover the facts by speaking to witnesses and affected individuals. He affirmed that the BJP was committed to ensuring justice across all sections of society. There were also reports of the involvement of RSS workers in the area, who were allegedly stopped by the police in Mandya. Addressing this, Narayan voiced concern over the treatment of the RSS members, calling it an “unjustified action” by the authorities. “These individuals are patriots working for the betterment of the country. The police had no valid reason to target them,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Narayan also mentioned that the committee’s objective was to uncover the facts by speaking to witnesses and affected individuals. He affirmed that the BJP was committed to ensuring justice across all sections of society. There were also reports of the involvement of RSS workers in the area, who were allegedly stopped by the police in Mandya. Addressing this, Narayan voiced concern over the treatment of the RSS members, calling it an “unjustified action” by the authorities. “These individuals are patriots working for the betterment of the country. The police had no valid reason to target them,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Another BJP leader, Narayana Gowda, echoed Narayan’s sentiments, questioning the role of the Congress government in managing the situation. “It remains unclear if this was a deliberate failure or a case of a negligence, there is suspicion that Congress workers may be involved in orchestrating some of the violence,” Gowda said.
He suggested that the state’s authorities, including the home minister and police officials, may have failed in their duties.
Gowda also hinted at a deeper conspiracy, stating, “We have reasons to believe that certain elements, possibly linked to the Congress, are coordinating violent activities, such as preparing petrol bombs. We will ensure that the truth is uncovered.”
Responding to the visit, Priyank Kharge, minister for rural development and panchayat raj, said, “Why do they conduct fact-finding missions when there are communal incidents? Did they conduct a survey when there was a drought in the state? They only go places where they can create tension.”