Bengaluru, Jan 5 (IANS): Former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar on Friday alleged that Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi is behind the arrest of Kar Sevak, Srikanth Poojari.

“LoP R. Ashoka was the Home Minister for 5 years while BJP was in power for 7 to 8 years in Karnataka. Why did they not take back the cases against Kar Sevak? All this controversy about Kar Sevak is being done for Lok Sabha election. There is a role of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in this case. He is behind the arrest of Poojari,” Shettar told media persons in Hubballi.

He asked why is BJP protesting now and made no efforts to take back these cases when they were in power. “I was the state’s chief minister for ten months. My attempts to help Kar Sevak are in records,” he said.

He said that BJP is doing all this only to get Hindu votes.

“Why former chief ministers B. S. Yediyurappa, D. V. Sadananda Gowda and Basavaraj Bommai kept quiet all these days? BJP got reminded of Kar Sevak only after the arrest of Srikath Poojari. BJP leaders are being hypocrite over the arrest of Kar Sevak. They don’t have any concern and sympathy towards Ram Bhakts,” Shettar said.

He said that Kar Sevak was not arrested as per the direction of the government.

“It is BJP’s objective to divide Hindus and Muslims. BJP gave ticket to Manikanth Rathod during the assembly election, who had more than 10 criminal cases against him. Despite stirring emotions, BJP will not get any benefits,” he said.