Karnataka: Home Minister G Parameshwara backs move on Hubballi riots

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Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday backed the government's decision to withdraw cases related to the 2022 Hubballi riots and claimed that even Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had dropped ones against him, PTI reported.

His comments come in response to the BJP staging a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru against the government's October 10 decision to withdraw criminal cases registered against a mob that attacked policemen with stones in April 2022 in north Karnataka's Hubballi town.

This is one of the 43 cases the State Cabinet decided to take away at its meeting on Thursday following a petition by the Anjuman-e-Islam to Parameshwara, official sources said to PTI.

"After approving the proposal to withdraw the case, we have to inform the court. If the court accepts the proposal then the case will be withdrawn. If it doesn't then the case won't be withdrawn. We have to follow all the procedures cautiously. We cannot withdraw on our own just because someone said it," Parameshwara told PTI reporters in Bengaluru.

He claimed that BJP leaders too had withdrawn cases when they were ruling in Karnataka and other states.

"The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (Adityanath) had cases against him. He withdrew cases against him holding the Chief Minister's post. So many cases were withdrawn," the Minister said.

"Whom are you accusing when the system is like that? We have done it within the framework of the system," Parameshwara said, slamming the BJP.

He said there were around 60 proposals and 43 cases were withdrawn by the government.

"Are there only minorities in those cases? All are there, farmers, students, and ordinary citizens who took part in various agitations. If all the 43 cases were against the minorities then I agree with them. We cannot do that. We have to see everyone with equal footing," Parameshwara explained.

When PTI asked about the proposal to withdraw cases related to the DJ Halli and KG Halli rioting in 2020, the Minister said that the government would examine them as well after following the necessary procedure.

"I am not the only one to decide. The Chief Minister and Home Minister alone cannot do it. There are so many brains working behind it," Parameshwara said to PTI.

Former Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan, BJP State President B Y Vijayendra, Assembly Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka, and other party officials denounced the government's action at the protest site, calling it "appeasement politics."

They criticised the government for withdrawing cases against individuals charged with rioting and violence.

"Attempted murder and inciting riots are not trivial offences, yet Congress prioritises vote-bank politics over justice," Vijayendra said to PTI.

"The Congress government is strengthening anti-social elements and jeopardizing public safety by supporting wrongdoers," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)