Bengaluru violence: K’taka govt taking steps towards banning SDPI

PTI, Aug 14, 2020, 7:02 PM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Friday said the State government was taking steps towards banning SDPI, following its “direct involvement” in the recent violence in the city.

“Already several SDPI leaders have been arrested (in connection with Bengaluru violence), SDPI’s direct involvement in the violence is clear,” Ashoka said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said this organisation has to be banned as it is involved in communal clashes, murders and tried to terrorise the people of Bengaluru.

“I have requested the Chief Minister and the Home Minister in this regard (ban)… government has taken a step forward on this, the Home Minister is collecting all the information regarding this organisation’s involvement in communal riots, attacks,” he added.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had on Thursday said the role of SDPI behind mob violence in parts of the state capital, has come to light and investigation will go deep into it and their connections.

Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan too has said the government was also considering banning SDPI.

Noting that the Bengaluru violence was not communal riots, Ashoka said it was not communal violence between communities, but it was a ”pre-planned act.”

“This incident is the result of infighting between Congress MLAs and local corporators, also Congress and SDPI… a person had contested from SDPI for corporator post and had faced defeat,” he claimed.

Muzammil Pasha, the SDPI district secretary who has been arrested in connection with the violence, had unsuccessfully contested Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections earlier.

The Home Minister also said, local level “political differences” and SDPI’s larger conspiracy to disturb law and order were among the reasons behind the recent violence.

The violence in D J Halli and adjoining areas on Tuesday night was unleashed by hundreds of people over an inflammatory social media post allegedly put out by P Naveen, a relative of Pulakeshinagar MLA R Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy of Congress.

The MLAs residence and a police station at D J Halli were torched by rioters who also set many police and private vehicles afire, and looted the belongings of the legislator and his sister.