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Woman rejects ₹2 lakh compensation, throws money at Siddaramaiah’s vehicle
In a video, which has since gone viral on social media, the woman was seen following Siddaramaiah’s convoy and throwing the money at the vehicle, saying, “I don’t want money but to give us justice, all those who are wrong should be punished”.
A family member of one of the four injured persons in the Kerur violence on Friday threw back ₹2 lakh given by former chief minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, demanding justice for the incident.
On July 6, clashes broke out over sexual harassment in Kerur under the Badami Taluk, leaving four people injured, including two brothers.
Siddaramaiah, who was touring Kerur, about 475kms from Bengaluru, visited the local hospital on Friday where the four injured persons were being treated.
The Congress leader tried to console the family and gave them ₹50,000 each for the four injured persons as compensation, even though they refused to accept it.
Following this, in a video, which has since gone viral on social media, the woman was seen following Siddaramaiah’s convoy and throwing the money at the vehicle, saying, “I don’t want money but to give us justice, all those who are wrong should be punished”.
Local Congress leaders were also heard saying that it was not the state government’s money but that the senior leader had given it in a personal capacity. Later, the Congress leaders were seen picking up the money as the convoy left. HT has verified the video.
Later in a tweet, Siddaramaiah said, “I gave some money in the form of personal compensation to the families of those injured in the riots. The aggrieved family has asked for justice, not money. I can understand their pain. It is the duty of the state @BJP4Karnataka government to conduct an impartial investigation and provide justice to the aggrieved families.”
He also said he had sent the money back to the aggrieved family.
The border district was tense after a sexual harassment incident escalated into a communal clash between Hindu and Muslim groups, according to police officials.
Bagalkote superintendent of police (SP), at the time, had said, “The issue began when some right-wing workers confronted a person named Yasin and questioned why he had teased some Hindu girls. This led to a heated exchange, and Yasin then brought more people from his side and assaulted the group that confronted him. A person, who is the district secretary of the Hindu Jagrana Vedike, was stabbed.”
Later, the Hindu group entered a Muslim locality, damaging bikes and even setting fire to one vehicle.
In one such video, which has been doing the rounds on social media, at least 20 people are seen damaging bikes and other property in the villages, armed with sticks, the SP added.
A total of 18 people – from both the Hindu and Muslim communities – have been arrested in the case so far.
