Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Aug 16: D K Shivakumar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president expressed his rage over issuing of notices to Congress corporators in the D J Halli riot case. He said that this is blackmail tactic from the BJP. Shivakumar also complained that pressure is being put on MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy.

Reacting to D K Shivakumar's statement, home minister Basavaraj Bommai said, "We are not blackmailing anyone. I believe that D K Shivakumar knows the law of the land."

Shivakumar said, "Our coporators are being threatened in order to cover for the failure of the government. Actually the failure of home minister in the riot is more significant."

D K Shivakumar (left) and Basavaraj Bommai

In reply to D K Shivakumar's accusation, home minister Bommai said, "We have served notice legally to people who were involved in rioting. If they have not committed any fault, why they are scared? Everything is going on as per law. There is no question of blackmailing anyone."

Bommai also said that the announcement of compensation by former minister Zameer Ahmed to the people who lost their lives in the rioting clearly shows in whose favour he is.

Responding to the Sringeri incident of covering Shankaracharya's idol with banner, Shivakumar said, "We are observing everything. BJP is trying to cover up that matter."

In the meantime, police have arrested 84 more people with respect to the rioting that took place in Devara Jeevana Halli (D J Halli) and Kadu Gondana Halli (K G Halli) on the night of Friday. With this the total number of arrests made has gone up to 300.

Police have registered 42 cases including rioting, house burglary, and damage to public property, assault and breaking into ATMs.