DHARWAD: While several organisations besides Congress and JD(S) staged protests condemning the vandalisation of a fruit stall run by a Muslim vendor on the premises of Nuggikeri Hanuman temple near Dharwad, Aravind Bellad, Hubballi-Dharwad (West) MLA, suggested it was “reaction” to the bandh Muslims traders had observed following the high court’s verdict on hijab.
In comments that were diametrically opposed to the conciliatory tone chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and others including law minister JC Madhuswamy have adopted to recent communal incidents, Bellad said that while perpetrators deserve to be punished, it “was a reaction by Hindu outfits to certain actions by Muslims”.
