The State police have come under criticism for allowing the funeral procession of the murdered Hindutva activist Harsha in Shivamogga on Monday, which eventually triggered violence in the town. Senior Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and Shivamogga MP B.Y. Raghavendra have also drawn flak for participating in the procession.
Residents of Murad Colony, who faced the brunt of the violence during the procession, rued that the police were “mute spectators” to the violence. “People who were part of the procession threw stones at shops and residences in the presence of policemen. There were hardly any policemen at sensitive locations. They could not handle the huge crowd,” said a resident, who did not wish to be named.
K.P. Sripal, advocate in Shivamogga, said the police should not have allowed people to gather in the first place, when the prohibitory orders were in place. K. L. Ashok, of Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike, said the funeral procession is known to spread violence and rioting in a communally sensitive situation.
However, the district administration maintained that there were prohibitory orders clamped and they did not allow the funeral procession. When asked if the district administration was under pressure from political leaders to allow the procession, Shivamogga DC Selvamani R. said, “There was no discussion on that at all... We have not allowed the procession.” However, so far no case has been booked against those who led the procession, point out activists.
“Dramatising through funeral processions and maximising communal hysteria are a common thing in Indian society and the police are very familiar with it. By its very nature, such processions are calculated to rouse passions among different communities. Provocative slogans, stone pelting, and violence becomes an integral part of such funeral processions which become impossible to prevent once they start. The first principles of law and order management would require the police to prevent such a procession at all costs. But when a cabinet minister and a ruling party MP lead the procession, police became passive. A prohibitory order becomes just a token, without any force of enforcement behind it,” said S. T. Ramesh, former state police chief.
