Bagalkot (Karnataka), Feb 20 (IANS) Expressing outrage over stone-pelting during the Shivaji Jayanti procession in Bagalkot city, Karnataka BJP has angrily reacted that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should not test the patience of the Hindu community.

Taking to social media X, BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra made the statement in this regard on Friday. “The Chief Minister should not test the patience of the Hindu community. There can be no silence when it comes to our revered icons and the pride of our land,” he stated.

Vijayendra stated, “The hooliganism involving stone-pelting and hurling of slippers at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj procession in Bagalkot is highly condemnable and a despicable act. Under this appeasement-driven and misgoverned Tughlaq-style government in Karnataka, law and order has completely collapsed, and anti-social elements disturbing peace appear to have received patronage. If stone-pelting can take place in the presence of the police, where is the safety for ordinary citizens in the state?”

“During the tenure of this Congress government, such repeated attacks targeting Hindu festivals and processions appear to be part of a systematic conspiracy. Such hooliganism cannot occur without the confidence that the state government will stand by them. Even now, the government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must abandon its appeasement politics and immediately arrest those who have insulted the honour of Shivaji Maharaj, who is a symbol of national pride, and take strict action against them, he stated.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Narayansa Bandage, targeting the state government, stated in Bagalkot, “An anti-Hindu government is ruling the state. We cannot expect justice from them. Hindu activists are planning to organize a grand Shivaji Jayanti in Bagalkot city once again. We will abide by the decision taken in this regard. The government should stop appeasing Muslims.”

Responding to the arrests made in connection with the incident, he said, “The police may somehow manage this by bringing in people, filing FIRs and later releasing them. That should not happen. The moulvis and maulanas who allegedly provoked the crowd should be brought to book. If arrests are made randomly, what is the use?”

Karnataka police on Friday arrested eight persons in connection with the stone-pelting incident during the Shivaji Jayanti procession in Bagalkot city.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Bagalkot city of Karnataka on Friday following tension triggered by a stone-pelting incident during the Shivaji Jayanti procession.

The incident was reported from the Killa Oni area when the procession was passing in front of a mosque.

In the wake of the incident, police have clamped prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Old Bagalkot, Navanagar and Vidyagiri localities. The restrictions will remain in force until midnight on December 24.

–IANS

mka/rad