Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok on Wednesday hit out at the State government for its “failure” to maintain law and order across the State and said Bengaluru has transformed from IT/BT city to “crime city” following increase in the number of crimes during the last eight months of the Congress rule.
Speaking on the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address to the joint session of the legislature, Mr. Ashok said 1,80,742 crime cases had been recorded in the State in 2023. The number of cybercrimes alone went up from 6,422 in 2022 to 17,623 in 2023, causing loot of ₹432 crore. He said violence in Kolar, Shivamogga, Keragodu in Mandya, and other places indicated the failure of the Intelligence Department.
Violence against women had increased and a woman was dragged out of her house, stripped, tied to a pole, and assaulted in a village in Belagavi and the police became mute spectators to the incident. Police stations have become real estate agent offices, the BJP leader alleged.
When RDPR and IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge intervened and said the BJP leaders “insulted” President Droupadi Murmu by not extending her invitation to the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, BJP members shouted at Mr. Kharge and said the Congress leaders “insulted” her by calling the President in the singular.
BJP members shouted “Jai Shri Ram…Jai Shri Ram” at this point and said the BJP fulfilled the promise made to the voters during the elections by construction of the temple.
The police under the Congress government have been harassing the BJP workers in Hubballi and Keragodu in Mandya, Mr. Ashok alleged. It was the BJP leaders who hoisted the national flag at Idgah Maidan in Hubballi and at a ground in Chamarajpet in Bengaluru, Mr. Ashok said and questioned the ruling members’ respect for the national flag.
Alleging that the Congress government had become bankrupt, he said the government had reduced the scholarship amount for children of labourers from school level to college and post-graduation. Similarly, the fund-strapped government had diverted funds to the tune of ₹11,400 crore earmarked for the welfare of Dalits for other purposes, he alleged.
In the Legislative Council, Chairman Basavaraj Horatti did not allow adjournment motion by the BJP to discuss law and order situation in the State, including the recent incidents reported in Haveri and Hangal. The House witnessed noisy scenes between the ruling and the Opposition members over the issue.
Home Minister G. Parameshwar referred to an earlier ruling in the Legislative Assembly in 1970 when the late S.R. Bommai wanted to raise the law and order issue in Hubballi under adjournment motion that was denied by the Speaker.
