As the Karnataka government withdraws its case against AIMIM leaders, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members term their act as ‘Muslim appeasement’. Mohammed Arif and 138 others were accused of being on the violent mob that allegedly attempted to storm into the police station in the 2022 Hubballi riots. They were also accused of rioting and attempted murder.
The Karnataka government, under the leadership of the Congress party, has chosen to go ahead and scrap these. The decision faced opposition from both the police and legal departments, however, the government emphasised finding ‘no solid proof’.
There are growing concerns regarding this withdrawal. For months now, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has been a strong spokesman for this move. In October 2023, Shivakumar personally approached the police to reconsider the charges.
NBJP government not happy as Karnataka government withdraws its case against AIMIM leaders
The Karnataka government withdrew its case against AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi even as opposition parties, more so BJP, held that it was appeasement politics by Congress that withdrew such sensitive cases. The BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar said, the decision supports unlawful activities and does not take cognizance of the important cases.
While taking a dig at Congress, he said that the Congress government is doing appeasement politics. It is withdrawing cases against them. While cases on farmers and students are pending, cases on anti-India elements will be withdrawn.
It was controversy related to a provocative post on Facebook with a saffron flag atop a mosque that led to a riot in Hubballi. The protest went violent outside the Old Hubballi Police Station with four policemen injured, along with damaged public property.
The decision by the Karnataka government to withdraw its case against the AIMIM leader is seen as opposition amidst debate over the implications on law and order. Critics aver that this may promote lawlessness, while supporters say it upholds communal harmony.
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