Following the cold-blooded murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, the BJP in opposition in Karnataka is demanding the resignation of CM Siddaramaiah.
On Thursday, after the police arrested over 850 BJP functionaries and senior leaders including state President BS Yeddyurappa in Mangaluru, the protestors demanded that the state government be held responsible for her death.
The Congress government had refused to grant permission to the BJP’s Mangaluru Chalo bike rally. The rally was a protest against the killings of BJP and RSS functionaries in coastal Karnataka.
Through this bike rally, the BJP had demanded the ban on the Social Democratic Party of India and the Popular Front of India, by branding them as “radical Muslim outfits”. The saffron party also demanded the resignations of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Environment Minister B Ramanath Rai.
BJP Karnataka President, BS Yeddyurappa attempted to turn the killing of anti-Hindutva activist and journalist Gauri Lankesh to his party’s advantage by clubbing it with the attack on RSS activists, and called for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to resign over the breakdown in law and order.
BJP leaders have now started taking up the murders of Gauri Lankesh and rationalist MM Kalburgi to 'prove' the failure of the Congress government in the state.
“A person is dead and they are utilising it go gather votes. It is understandable that the BJP leaders will highlight the murder of their party functionaries but they have stooped too low by jumping at an opportunity just to condemn the Congress. By highlighting the murders of Gauri Lankesh and Professor MM Kalburgi, personalities who were vocal about their anti-Hindutva ideologies, the BJP leaders now want to point out the even thoses who stood by Siddaramaiah are not safe in this country,” a senior Congress leader saiad.
During the Mangaluru Chalo rally, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje was the first to use the journalist’s death as a weapon against the Congress.
“The law and order situation in our country has deteriorated. No one is safe. Not Hindus and not even the Congress supporters. How can we allow such a government exist? We demand Siddaramaiah’s resignation,” Shobha said.
Leader of the opposition in the state assembly Jagadish Shettar questioned why the Kalburgi case was not handed over to the CBI although he was killed two years ago and the CID had made no progress.
Joining the bandwagon, Yeddyurappa loyalist and former Minister R Ashok raised questions about the failure of law and order.
“Not only Hindu leaders, there is no protection for even those who support Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Professor MM Kalburgi was killed about two years ago and two days ago, Gauri Lankesh was murdered in Bengaluru,” former Home Minister R Ashok said.