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Killers to face stern action, says Bommai
The statements come after Nettaru was hacked to death by a group of unidentified persons on Tuesday night in Bellere in Dakshina Kannada district, about 350 kms from Bengaluru.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that the murder of BJP youth wing leader Praveen Nettaru was part of an “organised conspiracy” to spoil peace in the society and the state government would mercilessly take action against the people and organisations behind such efforts.
“I have said it before as well that this is an organised plot to create friction in the society and we have taken various actions against them. Some are doing this as a reaction. It is our duty to nab them and we will,” Bommai said in Bengaluru.
He said orders have been issued for stringent action against the culprits. “Karnataka police officers are in constant touch with their Kerala counterparts to nab the killers. Mangaluru SP has spoken to Kasaragod SP. Our DGP has also taken up the issue with Kerala DGP. Teams have been formed and operations have been launched to nab the killers. The culprits would be nabbed soon and severely punished,” Bommai said.
The statements come after Nettaru was hacked to death by a group of unidentified persons on Tuesday night in Bellere in Dakshina Kannada district, about 350 kms from Bengaluru.
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha workers were seen chanting slogans against its own party for failing to provide security for its own, adding to the disenchantment of saffron groups who believe that its own government has not stood by its core support base.
“Stringent action would be taken as we did in similar cases that happened in Mangaluru, DG Halli and Shivamogga. The outfits and forces behind these cases would be crushed,” Bommai said, appealing for peace and asking people not to make provocative statements.
Replying to a question on the possibility of handing over the investigation to NIA, Bommai said, “we will not hesitate to hand it over to NIA if such a necessity arises.”
Pro-Hindu workers waylaid the cars of BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel and minister V Sunil Kumar in a fit of rage. The police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
Several people from pro-Hindu groups had protested against the BJP government even in the alleged suicide by contractor Santosh Patil in April, in which he had blamed KS Eshwarappa for his death.
Preetam Hebbar, the media coordinator for the BJP’s youth wing in Chikmagalur, said in his resignation letter that a government which had come to power based on the support by Hindutva groups had failed to protect pro-Hindu workers.
“Whenever a murder happens, you assure to take stern action but this has remained just an assurance,” he said in his letter on Wednesday.
He added that the government should not insult a party built by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and other great leaders and that he tendered his resignation to protest the lack of strict laws to protect Hindus and party workers from elements trying to kill them.
“I condemn the murder of Bajrang Dal leader Praveen Nettaru in Dakshina Kannada. Police should immediately arrest the murderers & prevent unrest in the region. Police should take action against the perpetrators without any biases,” Siddaramaiah, the leader of the opposition said in a twitter post.
