Former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said that Karnataka is witnessing ‘jungle raj’ (lawlessness) during a protest held by BJP legislators at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. “A 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 at the protest. The BJP legislators led by the former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai held a protest near the Gandhi statue of Vidhana Soudha.
Bommai said that one of the accused in the murders had uploaded the video on his Instagram account before the crime took place and claimed there was an absence of 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,” Bommai 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 memorandum detailed the disapperance and murder of a Jain seer in Belagavi district of Karnataka. “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," the letter said.
“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 letter added.
“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 Nasipura," the letter read..
“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," it further added.
“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,” it read.