Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 25: State home minister, Ramalinga Reddy, hit back at BJP for claiming that 23 Hindus had been killed by communal forces in the state. Reddy also released documentary evidence to support his claim.

Addressing a press conference held at the office of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee here on Wednesday January 24, Reddy noted that in her letter to the union home minister, BJP MP, Shobha Karandlaje, had claimed that Karnataka state government had remained quiet over the killing of 23 Hindu activists by Jihadi forces. He said that one of the persons mentioned by Shobha in her list, Ashok Poojary, is alive.

"Vasant Kotian and Raju Kannadabane mentioned by the MP had ended their lives. Prashanth Poojary, D K Kuttappa, Mysuru Raju, Rajeh Kotian, Praveen Pojary Madikeri, Charan Poojary, Shivamogga Vshwanath, Rudresh, and Sharat were victims of communal attacks. Out of 23 listed by Karandlaje, nine actually died of communal hatred, and two others had committed suicide. The other ten were murdered either because of personal enmity or land disputes. The remaining one perons had died in accident," he claimed.