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Karnataka to decide on banning SDPI, confiscating properties of Bengaluru rioters
Scanning of video footage has also led to further evidence against SDPI.
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A Karnataka minister has said that the next cabinet meeting of the state government on August 20 will take a decision on confiscating properties of those involved in Bengaluru communal violence on August 11 and on imposing a ban on Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) for its alleged involvement in the riots.
The Social Democratic Party of India, a political party linked to Islamist Popular Front of India, is under the lens of state investigating agencies for organizing the riots in Bengaluru that led to deaths of two people and vandalisation of public and private properties in the city’s Pulakeshinagar assembly constituency. Congress MLA Srinivas Murthy’s house was also attacked, looted and set on fire by the mob upset over a derogatory Facebook post by Murthy’s nephew.
“SDPI is a silly organisation. We’re thinking of banning it. Two decisions will be taken shortly. First, properties of those involved in violence (in Bengaluru) will be confiscated. Secondly: banning SDPI. These two matters will be discussed in cabinet meet on Aug 20,” Karnataka minister for rural development and panchayati raj KS Eshwarappa was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Also Read: SDPI role under scanner: Minister
Earlier state deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan had also said that the government was considering banning SDPI, four of whose members have been arrested in connection with the violence.
Home minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that SDPI’s role in the violence was emerging through the scrutiny of video footage of the riots.
“As per the information gathered so far and video footage [available], most importantly the role of SDPI is coming to light. We are collecting more information regarding it, we are investigating deeply in this regard,” Bommai said.
Senior district level functionaries of SDPI have been arrested and are being questioned by the probe teams.
Watch: Bengaluru violence: Tejasvi Surya on Congress-SDPI link; says ‘make rioters pay’
“Already, several SDPI office bearers have been arrested. Muzammil Pasha, the SDPI district secretary is the main [accused]. Firoz, Afraz Pasha and Shaik Adil, all of them are from SDPI, have also been arrested. Their role is completely being investigated,” Bommai added.
SDPI, however, has denied any connection to the violence and instead accused the police of failing to bring the situation under control.
The total number of arrests in the riots cases have gone up to 206 with the arrest of sixty more people, said Sandeep Patil, Bengaluru joint commissioner of police (crime).
Among those who were arrested include Kaleem Pasha, the husband of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) corporator from Nagwara ward - Irshad Begum.
Four teams have been formed to investigate the August 11 Bengaluru violence.
