Bengaluru, Sep 8 (IANS) Reacting to the incident of stone pelting on a Ganesh Visarjan procession and violence in Maddur town of Mandya district, the Karnataka BJP unit stated on Monday that the situation was extremely alarming.

The BJP claimed that Hindu festivals cannot be held peacefully in the state under the rule of the present government.

Speaking to reporters BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed on Monday, “After coming to power, the Congress government has created a situation in the state where Hindu festivals, Ganapati celebrations, and processions cannot be carried out peacefully. During the Ganesh Visarjan processions, reports were coming from many parts of the state, including Mandya, Dharwad, Bagalkote, and Hubli, that groups of fanatic elements were gathering and pelting stones.”

“Yesterday, in Maddur of Mandya district, miscreants created a highly disturbing atmosphere by pelting stones during the Ganesh Visarjan procession. Women and police officers were seriously injured in the stone-pelting incident, which is extremely alarming,” he stated.

BJP Karnataka strongly condemns this in the strongest terms. There are also reports from Sagara in Shivamogga district that a Ganpati idol was desecrated. The violent acts of these fanatic elements, operating under the guise of minority community identity, have created an atmosphere of fear, especially among Hindu women, Vijayendra said.

“If the government does not take a firm stand regarding the incidents in Maddur and Sagara, and if strict action is not taken against these fanatic criminals, the people of the state will teach the Congress a fitting lesson,” he warned.

The Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka stated that, “The processions of one particular community are not disturbed and only Hindu processions are attacked in the state.”

“All this is happening because of the Congress led government in Karnataka. The Congress leaders had earlier dedicated their victory in the state Assembly election to the Muslim community. Now, this is the result of such appeasement. This is an anti-Hindu government,” R. Ashoka claimed.

Tension prevailed in Maddur town of Mandya district in Karnataka on Monday in connection with the incident of stone-pelting during a Ganesha procession.

Prohibitory orders were imposed by the Karnataka Police in Maddur town until Tuesday morning following the violence. However, the situation turned volatile on Monday as protestors condemning the violence gathered near the mosque in Ram Rahim Nagar, where the stone-pelting incident had taken place and staged a protest despite the prohibitory orders, prompting a baton-charge by the cops.

–IANS

mka/rad