Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, Dec 22: Former chief minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday December 22 slammed the state government over the recent violence protests in Mangaluru against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and demanded the suspension of police officers responsible for the deaths of two persons in police firing the protest and expulsion of the state home minister.
Addressing a press meet here after visiting the families of Nausheen and Jaleel who were killed in the December 19 protest in the city, and Highland hospital where the injured have been admitted, Kumaraswamy said, "The central government has passed CAA and proposed the implementation of NRC, which has sparked widespread protests in the country. There was peace and harmony in Karnataka, but now there is widespread protest in every corner of the state because of CAA and NRC.
"There was a protest in Kalaburagi recently where 8000-10,000 people gathered but the protest was peaceful, with no damage caused to any public property. But in Dakshina Kannada district the protest turned violent and curfew was imposed. As the curfew has been relaxed during daytime today, I decided to visit the city to make a reality check.
"I visited the families of the deceased and the hospital where 6 to 7 persons have been admitted with bullet injuries. The police have behaved inhumanely and the government has shown no humanity. The CM visited Mangaluru yesterday but did he collect the necessary information?" he said.
Criticising the police for imposing Section 144 even before the protest on December 19, he said, "SKSSF and SSF had sought permission to hold the protest on December 19, and it was granted. But all of a sudden on the night of December 18 Section 144 was imposed and no proper information was given to the public. Innocents had come to protest, and they would have protested and returned to their homes peacefully if prohibitory orders had not been imposed.
"Who directed the police to impose Section 144 even though there was no fight or tension before the protest?" he questioned, adding, "A video has become viral in social media where we can see a cop speaking about shooting the mob. Will action be taken against those cops?"
"Even the police commissioner is giving wrong statements now and then and trying to mislead the public. The police commissioner Dr P S Harsha himself invited former mayor Ashraf to convince the protestors, but he has been admitted to hospital with injuries. There is no humanity left in the goverrnment," he added.
"MP Shobha Karandlaje says Congress leaders are the reason behind the violence, while MP Nalin says they are sadists. But actually is it the BJP leaders who are the sadists. People were treated inhumanely. There is no proper administration and no concern shown towards the people. Can we really feel whether we have a home minister at all?
"Several civilians are being treated in the hospital. One is an auto driver's son who holds a PhD, and another is a boy who had come from Shivamogga to apply for scholarship. A welder from Bihar who was on his way to his accomodation was also injured and hospitalised. Yesterday the CM came to the city but did not bother to visit the hospital and speak to the injured," Kumaraswamy said.
Demanding action against the police and the home minister, he said, "If the CM has any sense of moral responsibility, he should dismiss the police officers concerned and also sack the home minister who is unfit for his job.
"On whose directions are these officers working - home minister or (RSS leader) Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat?" he questioned.
"This was a rift between the public and the police department. Why couldn't they (police) give the protesters 10 minutes permission to protest go home?
"Even FIR has been filed against the deceased persons. What kind of inhuman policing is this? Police commissioner claimed that there was a mob of 7,000 but that was false. Some claimed that stone-pelters were from Kerala but even that is false. If they were any, at least one Keralite would have been injured and hospitalised, but there is none."
"When I was CM for 14 months not a single incident happened in this coastal region. When police officer M K Ganapati and other police personnel committed suicide, the then home minister took responsibility, but who will take responsibility for this incident - the chief minister or the home minister?
"When opposition leaders came to visit Mangaluru, the police detained them. Did they come to set fire to the coastal belt that they had to be detained? All are blaming U T Khader and even an FIR has been filed against him. When Yediyurappa, Nalin Kumar Kateel and Shobha Karandlaje had threatened to set fire to the state if Kalladka Bhat was arrested, did we file FIR against them?" Kumaraswamy said.
Regarding the incident wherein police barged into Highland hospital on the night of the protest, he said, "I suspect that they were RSS activists wearing police uniforms.
"I demand the suspension of police officers concerned and urge the CM to take decision within 24 hours."
On the police commissioner's claim that 33 cops had been injured in the protest, he said, "It is a cent per cent fake claim. Where have they been admitted. I am ready to visit them if so."
He also said that along with Rs 5 lac cheque that his party gave to the families of the deceased, the JD(S) would also help the injured even if the government does not do so.
JD(S) district president Mohammed Kunhi, MLCs Boje Gowda and B M Farooq, JD(S) district youth president Akshith Suvarna and others were present.