Mysuru: Protesting the delay in arresting those responsible for the murder of BJP worker and VHP activist, Raju , BJP workers led by former Chief Minister, B. S. Yeddyurappa, state party president, Pralhad Joshi, and other leaders attempted to lay siege to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mysuru on Thursday, but were stopped by the police which had blocked all roads leading to it.
The BJP leaders were arrested as they continued to move towards the Devaraj Urs road and the Maharani’s college junction and were taken to the KSRP guest house before being released. Over a 100 workers were also arrested and released later.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Joshi demanded a judicial inquiry by a retired or working Supreme Court judge, or in the alternative, a probe by the National Investigation Agency, claiming that those involved in the BJP worker’s murder could have terrorist links.
“The PFI and KFD are older avatars of SIMI and should be banned. By withdrawing cases against 296 PFI and KFD activists involved in the riots in Mysuru and other places, the government has only emboldened them. All these cases must be reopened,” he demanded.
“The violence in the city shows that the police has failed in crime management. There is no policing in the state any more and the home department has failed in its duties,” Mr Joshi charged.
Mr Yeddyurappa deplored that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had still not visited the family of the murdered BJP worker. “The state government should not indulge in votebank politics. When a Naxalite, Kabir , was killed in an encounter, it gave his family '10 lakh but now Raju’s family has received only Rs 5 lakh,” he deplored, demanding that the government give a job to a member of the dead worker’s family.
Meanwhile, ADGP (law and order), Alok Mohan,when contacted said that 13 cases had been booked against those involved in the Monday's violence, but no arrests had been made so far.
Raju murder, Ayukta issue to rock session
The state government’s latest move to defang the institution of Lokayukta, its failure to provide succor in drought-hit areas, and the recent murder of BJP worker Raju in Mysuru would be used by leaders of principal Opposition, BJP, to haul the state government over the coals during the nine day budget session of legislature commencing on Friday.
Though Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would set a record by present the budget for the tenth time, leaders of BJP are ready to attack the state government on its alleged failures on various fronts. With police in Mysuru failing to track down those involved in the murder of Raju, these leaders are determined to demand a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as well as a judicial inquiry into the gruesome killing which triggered violence and a day-long shut-down of the cultural capital on Monday. The leaders are also set to link the fatal attack on Raju with killing of party workers, Kuttappa and Prashant Poojari in Madikeri and Moodabidri, respectively.
Leader of Opposition, Jagadish Shettar, told Deccan Chronicle that his party would first rake up the issue of failure of the state government to handle drought relief operations on priority basis, followed by failure of the state government to maintain peace and order in various places including Mysuru. “We will demand two probes into Raju’s murder and also raise the issue of the government attempting to weaken the institution of Lokayukta,” Mr. Shettar added. Top BJP leaders of both Houses of the state legislature would meet on Friday evening and chalk out party’s floor strategy, he added.
Meanwhile, Capt Ganesh Karnik, chief whip of Opposition in the Legislative Council said the party would given notice of an adjournment motion on drought as the government has “totally failed” in implementing drought relief works.
