The slugfest between the Congress and the BJP over the arrest of kar sevak Shrikanth Pujari, who is also involved in several other cases, in Hubballi, continued on Thursday even as Home Minister G. Parameshwara ruled out action against the police personnel involved in the arrest.
“The police have taken whatever action had to be taken. They have not worked against the law. The BJP is creating an issue for political reasons. Let them do what they want, we will do our duty,” Mr. Parameshwara told presspersons here on Thursday. He asked for what reason the police official should be suspended. “He has done his job.”
When asked if the government had asked him to go on compulsory leave, he said: “He had sought leave for two days earlier. He will return to duty. It is not good for the BJP to politicise the matter.”
However, claiming Shrikanth Pujari as innocent, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok said that the government had “targeted” him as the police could not find the accused in other cases. “There are 50,000 to 60,000 cases pending in the State for a long time, including about 10,000 cases in Bengaluru. If all are arrested, there will be no space in jail. Congress workers against whom cases are long pending have not been sent to jail,” he said.
‘No information on ‘Godhra-like incident’ being planned in Karnataka’
Mr. Parameshwara said that the State government has no information about the likelihood of a “Godhra-type incident” in the State as stated by senior Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad.
“If such information comes in, the Police Department is capable of handling it. We will not allow such incidents to happen here,” the Home Minister told presspersons here.
When asked if the government will seek information from Mr. Hariprasad, Mr. Parameshwara said the department will ask him if the situation arises.
Mr. Hariprasad had stirred a controversy by stating that there could be “Godhra-like incident” in Karnataka ahead of the inauguration of Sri Rama temple at Ayodhya. He had urged the government to provide security to people travelling to Ayodhya for the event.
