New Delhi/Bengaluru, May 22 (IANS) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Karnataka government over its decision to withdraw 52 criminal cases linked to protests and riots, alleging that the move was aimed at appeasing “rioters” under the guise of protecting Kannada activists.

In a statement, Joshi accused the state government of sacrificing the Constitution and the rule of law for appeasement politics.

“The Karnataka government is using Kannada activists as a pretext to facilitate the release of communal rioters. For the sake of appeasement, it is sacrificing the Constitution and the country’s legal system,” he alleged.

Joshi claimed that the withdrawal of cases was driven more by the interests of “Muslim rioters” than concern for Kannada activists.

He strongly criticised the withdrawal of cases against over 100 accused in the Aland communal riots case, calling it “highly condemnable.”

“The Congress government has crossed all limits of appeasement politics by withdrawing criminal cases against a group accused of creating communal unrest and attacking police personnel with deadly weapons,” he charged.

According to Joshi, during the violence, a group of agitated Muslim youths allegedly raised religious slogans and attacked police personnel, leaving a Deputy Superintendent of Police and a Constable seriously injured.

“Despite all this, the government has now released communal rioters under the pretext of withdrawing cases against Kannada activists. This reflects the peak of appeasement politics,” he said.

The Union Minister further alleged that under the Congress government, even law enforcement personnel were no longer safe.

“It appears as though the government is honouring rioters by releasing them. This is truly unfortunate,” he remarked.

Joshi also accused the government of attempting to mislead the public by clubbing together cases related to farmers’ protests and Kannada activists with communal riot cases while withdrawing them.

Questioning the priorities of the Karnataka government, he asked whether protecting rioters had become more important than safeguarding law-abiding citizens.

“If police personnel on duty themselves are not protected, what will be the future of law and order in the state?” he asked, expressing serious concern over the situation in Karnataka.

Meanwhile, responding to questions regarding the withdrawal of cases linked to the Ladle Mashak Dargah violence, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Friday declined to elaborate on specific details, but asserted that the decision was not taken hastily.

–IANS

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