Bengaluru, Feb 24 The Karnataka High Court on Monday permitted a protest condemning the recent attack on a police station in Mysuru city. The state government had earlier refused permission for the event and imposed prohibitory orders.
A Bench headed by Justice R. Devdas, while hearing a petition filed by the Rashtra Suraksha Janandolana Samiti, Mysuru, granted permission for the event to be held at the Mysuru Football Grounds.
The court directed Mysuru City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar to facilitate the event and instructed the organisers to present a bond of Rs 1 lakh. The organisers were also held responsible for any eventuality.
The court further directed that the event must be conducted peacefully and that no provocative statements should be made.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, speaking to the media after arriving in Mysuru on Monday to take part in the protest, criticised the state government, alleging that it was ensuring the "Islamization of Karnataka" for the sake of vote-bank politics.
"The Udayagiri police station attack is an incident that should make the Congress government hang its head in shame. The law was violated, and a section of local Muslim rioters attacked police officers and the police station. The government has sent them the message that it only wants their votes and will allow them to do whatever they want," Ashoka alleged.
"It has become the slogan of the Congress government. Their leaders are already issuing statements claiming that the rioters are just children who don’t know anything. The police are under pressure, officers are helpless, and they are unable to take action against those who break the law," he claimed.
"The law and order situation in the state is deteriorating. People are brandishing swords in public. In response, a protest is being organised to create awareness. Until this government is overthrown, we will continue our fight. We have come to Mysuru to stage a protest," he stated.
"They are engaging in various conspiracies to strengthen their Muslim vote bank," he alleged.
When asked about the FIR filed against former BJP MP Pratap Simha in connection with the incident, Ashoka responded that Simha is facing FIRs regularly.
"When I was the Home Minister, he was working as a journalist. I had informed him about a contract (supari) taken out on his life. I forcibly provided him security even though he was unwilling. He did not fear for his life then—do you think he will fear this FIR now?" Ashoka questioned.
He further criticized the Congress, accusing it of jailing judges, journalists, and editors during the Emergency and lacking respect for democracy.
"A so-called thinker made an objectionable statement against Lord Ram in Mysuru. Did Hindu activists pelt stones at a police station? There will always be some individuals who make such remarks. In this case, the person who made the social media post was arrested, and the court granted him bail," he noted.
"Police officers fear politicians and powerful individuals. But radical Muslims, who fear nothing, attacked the Udayagiri police station in Mysuru with stones, machetes, and swords. They had planned to burn down the police station, but the police managed to prevent it," Ashoka claimed.
"I, along with Pratap Simha and others, visited the police station to offer moral support. The police told us that more than 1,000 people were involved in the attack and that action would be taken based on CCTV footage. However, only 17 individuals have been arrested so far," he stressed.
"The main accused, a maulvi who delivered a hate speech, was arrested two days ago. But after Home Minister G. Parameshwara visited the police station, the process of arresting the rioters stopped. The government is exerting pressure, and the rioters are being protected," Ashoka alleged.
The Samiti and the BJP are organising a massive convention in Mysuru on Monday to protest against the alleged inaction by the Karnataka government in the Udayagiri police station attack case.
As many as 17 people, including an Islamic religious teacher, who delivered the hate speech provoking the mob to attack the Udayagiri police station have been arrested in the case till now.
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