By TwoCircles.net Correspondent
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has decided to withdraw cases against more than 1400 Muslims registered after communal clashes in 2010 in the state. The move has brought cheers from Muslim organisations while the BJP has lambasted the government.
The Karnataka cabinet has on June 1 decided to withdraw cases against those involved in the 2010 communal clashes in Shivamogga and Hassan that had erupted soon after a translation of author Tasleema Nasreen’s work was published in a local daily. Most of these people belonged to Popular Front of India (PFI) and Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD), both organisations working on pro-Muslims issues.
T B Jayachandra, Karnataka Law Minister, said the step comes after the cabinet approved the recommendations of the sub-committee on withdrawal of the cases. “A total 135 cases of communal violence against 1400 people will be withdrawn. These were filed on February 28, 2010 in Shivamogga (114) and March 1, 2010 in Hassan (21),” Jayachandra was quoted by Times of India
“It has come to the government’s notice that most of those who were charge sheeted were only participating in protests and had gathered peacefully. They had no role in the violence, they were also not part of the mob. So, after examining on case-to-case basis, the government has decided to drop charges against PFI members,” Jayachandra justified, as per a report in the New Indian Express
The Times of India also reported that the Karnataka cabinet has also decided to withdraw cases against 214 people who took part in an unlawful assembly in Mysuru. The cases relate to KDF and PFI activists burning tyres and causing inconvenience to commuters near a Mysuru Hospital.
Hailing the decision, and the chief minister Siddaramaiah for it, Mohamed Shakib, PFI state president, called it as a bold decision of the state government to “withdraw cases against ‘innocents’ by the erstwhile ‘communal regime’ in Karnataka.”
“We congratulate the chief minister for this courageous step,” Urdu news site Nasheman quoted him as saying
On Saturday, June 6, a delegation of national and state leaders of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) met Siddaramaiah and congratulated him for what the party described as “a good decision.”
Meanwhile, opposition BJP has accused the chief minister of “strengthening the Congress vote bank at the expense of security.” CT Ravi, BJP spokesperson, said: “It is unfortunate that the chief minister has disregarded the recommendations of the police officers on withdrawal of over 175 cases registered against PFI and KFD activists. The police had specifically submitted a report to the state cabinet that they are dangerous organisations, who indulge in violent, anti-social activities.”