Dissent brews in BJP’s youth wing in K’taka after murder

On Thursday, a section of BJP leaders held a protest against party’s state leadership outside the Townhall in Bengaluru.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka has come under backlash from its youth wing after the killing of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru at Bellare in Dakshina Kannada district.

Praveen Nettaru, a resident of Bellare, was attacked by bike-borne assailants when he was returning home after closing his poultry shop late on Tuesday evening (HT Photo)

On Thursday, a section of BJP leaders held a protest against party’s state leadership outside the Townhall in Bengaluru.

Nettaru, a resident of Bellare, was attacked by bike-borne assailants when he was returning home after closing his poultry shop late on Tuesday evening. A case has been registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. The incident triggered protests in several parts of the coastal district on Wednesday with instances of stone pelting being reported in some areas.

On Wednesday, a large number of BJP youth workers gathered for the funeral procession of the Yuva Morcha district executive committee member Nettaru and anger and grief were writ large on their faces.

A section of party’s youth workers in Chikkamagaluru on Wednesday announced that they were resigning as the party had failed to protect its own cadre.

“There is a BJP government both at the Centre and the state and yet a party worker is hacked to death. Should party workers live in fear even during the BJP government?” said Preetham Hebbar, the Chikkamagaluru district convener of Yuva Morcha.

Nalin Kumar Kateel, the BJP state president and Lok Sabha MP from Dakshina Kannada, a BJP stronghold, said the anger and disappointment of party workers was understandable.

“The conspiracy behind Nettar’s murder will be revealed and justice will be ensured,” Kateel told reporters and added he will convince the workers who resigned to reconsider their decision.

On Thursday, Kateel’s car was blocked by party workers and Hindu activists for about half an hour before he could move with police security.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai announced late on Wednesday night that he is cancelling the first-year anniversary celebrations of his government. The move was seen as a way to pacify the party’s young workers in the run-up to the state assembly elections next year.

Some of the party workers are associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other orgainsations like the Bajarang Dal, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and the Hindu Janajagruthi Samiti among others.

Several Yuva Morcha members told HT they felt that the party was not taking care of them and was using them for political gains. “There is no protection to our workers who are fighting against fundamentalist forces,” said a Yuva Morcha leader, requesting anonymity.

On Thursday, two men with suspected links to the Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested in connection with the murder of the Yuva Morcha leader. Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra said involvement of outfits like PFI and its political wing, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), in the case is also being probed.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyank Kharge released a video of an interview of a former BJP leader Satyajit Surathkal, in which the latter levels allegations against the BJP of funding and strengthening the SDPI.

“It is very sad that to defeat the Congress politically and become more powerful, a party that has come to power with the support of Hindutva (apparent reference to BJP) the SDPI is being strengthened by giving them money, funding candidates,” Surathkal is heard saying in a Kannada interview to Mangaluru-based Daijiworld.

HT cannot independently verify the authenticity of the video or claims made in the video.

Sharing the video on Twitter, Kharge poster: “While @BJP4Karnataka claims SDPI & PFI are friends of @INCKarnataka, the reality is they are being “fed” by BJP themselves.”

Ganesh Karnik, Karnataka BJP spokesperson, said the Congress has this habit of blaming the BJP each time it loses an election.

“It is his (Surathkal) personal opinion. But it is not true. Suppose BJP, Congress and SDPI (contest an election). Had the SDPI not contested, the votes should have gone to Congress. But Congress says because SDPI fielded its candidate and lost election, it was promoted by the BJP,” Karnik said.