Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said Monday police have taken all measures to maintain peace following communal tensions at Amir Ahmed circle in Shivamogga city.
"Our officials have already taken action. Local leaders are cooperating. The incident shouldn't have happened. Regardless of who is at fault, I've ordered strict action. We've also deployed additional forces," Bommai told reporters.
Two groups clashed over displaying banners to mark Independence Day in Shivamogga. While the Hindu group erected a banner of V D Savarkar, Muslim youths insisted that they should be allowed to put up a banner showing Tipu Sultan.
Speaking to reporters, BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel claimed that the SDPI, backed by the Congress, was involved in the incident. "The SDPI not only pulled down [Savarkar's] banner, but also the national flag. This amounts to treason. They should be treated as terrorists. They should be arrested immediately," Kateel said, adding that he would speak to Bommai about this.
Without naming Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, Kateel said some "socialists" are trying to eke out a living in the Congress. "RSS workers worship Bharat Mata. But, socialists who've joined the Congress for the sake of power worship Sonia Mata," he said.
Kateel claimed that the Congress and SDPI join hands to create communal tension.
Asked if the BJP government is failing to take precautionary measures, Kateel said such incidents have taken place under all governments. "When the Siddaramaiah government was there, why did 36 deaths take place and communal incidents happened in Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada? Such incidents happen because of the politics involved," he said, adding that the BJP government is taking measures to curb all such incidents.
Asked about banning SDPI, he said: "SDPI is a political party recognised by the Election Commission. The union government is putting documentation together (for the ban)."