Bengaluru: Chief minister Siddaramaiah Tuesday lashed out at BJP for taking out a padayatra in riot-hit Maddur taluk, saying the saffron party’s “sole work is to destroy communal harmony”. Siddaramaiah told reporters at Vidhana Soudha, “Even before BJP could enter the scene, the govt took proactive measures by arresting 21 people in the case of stone pelting during the Ganesha visarjan procession.” He said the govt is committed to taking action against perpetrators of the Maddur communal violence. “It does not matter whether the accused is Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or Sikh. If s/he has broken the law, we will act against them,” he said. Siddaramaiah also lambasted BJP for its Chamundi Chalo yatra saying only RSS members from Shivamogga, Chikkaballapura, and other parts of the state turned up for the march and not locals. Asked about BJP writing a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah regarding the deteriorating law and order in the state and the issue of NIA probing the Dharmasthala defamation case, Siddaramaiah said the Union home ministry was “inactive” at the height of the Manipur violence and was “nowhere to be found” during farmers’ protests, where several people died. Meanwhile, with heavy police presence and prohibitory orders in force, Maddur bandh on Tuesday passed off peacefully. Heavy police presence will continue as the communal trouble-torn town prepares for another round of Ganesh idol immersion on Wednesday with state BJP leaders BY Vijayendra and R Ashoka, among others, expected to attend the procession.More than 1,500 police personnel are keeping vigil in the town, especially in sensitive areas such as Ram Rahim Nagar Mosque, Siddharth Nagar, and Chanegowda Layout.Following trouble during idol immersion on Sunday and Monday, police have so far arrested 22 people, who have been remanded in judicial custody. Call records are being examined to find possible organisational links or criminal backgrounds of the accused. Authorities are also probing whether any groups played a role in orchestrating the incident, a police officer said.
