BJP trying to impose Governor’s rule in Karnataka, claims Deputy CM Shivakumar

PTI, Apr 20, 2024, 8:05 AM IST

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday claimed that the BJP is clandestinely planning to impose Governor’s rule in the state.

He was responding to the opposition BJP’s allegation that the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state following the murder of the daughter of a city civic body councillor on the campus of her college in Hubballi, which has sparked widespread condemnation and protests.

“The BJP is trying to threaten us… Karnataka has the best law and order… They want to tell voters that they’re going to impose Governor’s rule. That’s what R Ashoka (BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition) is trying confidentially. They want to place the state under Governor’s rule, that’s why they are doing all this drama. But they can’t do that. It’s impossible…” Shivakumar said.

In a shocking incident, Neha Hiremath (23), daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on Thursday.

The accused Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled from the scene, was arrested by the police subsequently.

Neha was a first-year Master of Computer Applications (MCA) student and Fayaz was earlier her classmate.

The issue has snowballed into a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP. While the ruling party has tried to project it as an incident with a personal angle, the saffron party has labelled it ‘love jihad’ and has said it shows the deterioration of law and order in the state.

BJP’s student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and other organisations aligned to Hindutva outfits have staged protests demanding justice, and calling for severe punishment for the Muslim accused.

Similar protests have been reported at various other places.