Bengaluru, Jul 12 (IANS): The Karnataka BJP staged a protest on Wednesday in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the premises of the Vidhana Soudha against the alleged collapse of the law and order system in the state after the Congress government came to power.

The protest headed by former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, was attended by BJP MLAs and MLCs who raised slogans against the incumbent state government.

Later, the party leaders took out a rally from the Vidhana Soudha to the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot demanding the handover of the Jain pontiff's muder case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Former Minister V. Sunil Kumar said that sidelining Hindutva is the agenda of Congress government. "During the last tenure of CM Siddaramaiah between 2013 and 2018, 18 Hindu activists were killed," he said.

The BJP's national general secretary, C.T. Ravi: "The development of a series of murders taking place in Karnataka is unfortunate. The development has raised suspicions. We don’t know whether this government is alive or dead. The Uttar Pradesh model should have been adopted in Karnataka."

While announcing the protest, Bommai said that the law and order system in the state has collapsed in the state.

"The government had taken the case of the Jain pontiff's brutal murder very lightly. The public are demanding that the case should be handed over to the CBI. We have also demanded that the case should be probed by the CBI," he said.

“Hindu activist was killed in T.Narasipura, murder case is also reported from Sakleshpur, cop was killed while on duty by sand mafia. Senior officers are pressurising staff for extortion of money.

"Anti-social elements have got the courage that they can do anything in this government. The law and order has collapsed just after the one and half month rule of the Congress government," the former Chief Minister added.

He also said that Karnataka is witnessing ‘jungle raj’ (lawlessness), saying the common man is not able to move around without fear.

“Jain pontiff was killed, our activist was hacked to death, common men are being murdered, and techies are lynched,” he said while talking to reporters.

Bommai said that the murderer had uploaded the video on his Instagram account as there is no fear. Police are being pressured and a police officer who tried to prevent illegality was hacked. The senior police officers bow down to their political bosses and there is absolutely no fear among the killers.

“The thick skinned government is not responding to our demands. We have requested the Governor to summon DGP and IGP and issue directions in this regard.

“It has also been requested to bring the situation in Karnataka to the notice of the union government. The Governor has promised us that he would speak to the senior officers. We will wait for the Governor's order and will take the matter to the public,” he said.

BJP also submitted a memorandum to the Governor which stated:

“We would like to bring to your kind notice that recently there have been two brutally incidents wherein the State Government of Karnataka has completely failed to maintain the law and order situation in the State.

“The Digambar Jain seer, identified as Muni Kamkumar Nandi Maharaj, was reportedly missing from 5th July 2023 from his Basadi (Monastery) at Nandi parvata in Belagavi. The police were made aware of the disappearance by the president of the Jain Charitable Trust of Hirekodi, Bheemappa Ugare.

“After a long search, eventually found the body of the monk in a defunct borewell in Hirekodi, Chikkodi taluk of Belagavi district, chopped into pieces and wrapped in a plastic bag. Earthmovers were reportedly employed to retrieve the body. The murder of a Jain monk in Karnataka has brought the spotlight on the state, which recently saw a change of guard after a highly contested election that was held earlier in May.

“Further in another incident in July 2023, a 32-year-old man who is associated with Yuva Brigade, related to Namo Brigade, was hacked to death during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations near T.Narasipura of Mysuru district.

“Venugopal Nayak, who was a resident of Srirampura Colony, was stabbed to death over a trivial matter during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations on the outskirts of T Narasipura.

“Similarly, incidents have taken place across the State like Hosakote, Dharwad, Yadagiri and the persons attached to one particular political party have been targeted and brutally murdered to create fear.

“To make a mention even the state police are not safe in the state and in one instance one police constable was murdered who tried to stop illegal sand mafia and one police constable even attempted to commit suicide due to threats and both the incidents took place in Kalaburgi.

“After the incumbent government took charge of the state there were incidents in which the slogans like ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ were raised openly in public at Belagavi. Further in Bhatkal there have been slogans ‘that there should not be a person to lift Hindu dead bodies’. There has been an incident in Hassan where two youth have been seen displaying the gun in their hand riding the bike in the ring road of Hassan.

“In another incident a cow was killed using a gun at Sakleshpur which was totally illegal. Further in Nanjangud and Bagalkot there have been incidents where Hindu persons have been attempted to murder.

“From the above incidents, there is total failure on the part of the State Government of Karnataka to maintain the law and order situation in the state. Further the same situation continues and the common citizen’s life is put at risk.

“There is total lawlessness where some persons from a particular political party and Hindus are being targeted. As such we request your good self to consider this representation and issue appropriate directions to the State Government to maintain law and order situation in the State of Karnataka and keep peace and tranquility.”