BJP holds Karnataka-wide protests over Hubballi murder

Bengaluru: The Karnataka unit of BJP on Monday staged statewide protests against the alleged brutal murder of a young woman in Hubbali. Neha Hiremath (23), daughter of Congress councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was allegedly stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College in Dharwad on April 18 sparking statewide outrage.

Neha was a first year student of Master of Computer Applications and the accused in the case, Fayaz, was earlier her classmate. Fayaz has been arrested by the police.

BJP leaders and workers, especially in Lingayat-dominated Kittur-Karnataka region, held protests seeking justice for slain Hubballi girl Neha Hiremath.  They were joined by saffron outfits during the protests. The slogan ‘Neha Amar Rahe’ rent the air.  

The BJP has demanded that the government hand over the case to the CBI. The party has sought the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara following the incident.

BJP state unit president B Y Vijayendra, former chief ministers Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai and leader of the Opposition R Ashoka led the protests in different parts of the state. 

They said that the law and order under the Congress rule had collapsed. Rising incidents of crime against Hindu women were a case in point, the leaders said.

Leading the party’s charge in Mysuru, Vijayendra said the rise of violence against women in the state was a clear indicator that the government had failed miserably. 

“The Congress party’s appeasement policies are helping the jihadists to raise their ugly head. Therefore, people of the state should vote against the Congress in Lok Sabha elections,” he said. Leading the protest in Haveri was Bommai. “The ruling party’s appeasement politics is coming in the way of acting sternly against the suspect,” he said.

Leading the party’s charge in Mysuru, Vijayendra said the rise of violence against women in the state was a clear indicator that the government had failed miserably. 

“The Congress party’s appeasement policies are helping the jihadists to raise their ugly head. Therefore, people of the state should vote against the Congress in Lok Sabha elections,” he said. Leading the protest in Haveri was Bommai. “The ruling party’s appeasement politics is coming in the way of acting sternly against the suspect,” he said.

The party also highlighted a series of incidents such as the bomb blast in Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru, attack on youths for chanting Jai Sri Ram, and reciting Hanuman Chalisa.

Meanwhile the Leader of Opposition R Ashoka and former Chief Minister and Haveri BJP candidate Basavaraj Bommai spearheaded the agitation in Tumakuru and Haveri.

Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar led the protests in Belagavi where he is fighting the election on a BJP ticket. Ballari BJP candidate B Sriramulu took part in the agitation in Ballari city.

Murugesh Nirani in Bagalkote and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in Kalaburagi led the agitation in their cities respectively.

In Hubballi and Dharwad, BJP MLAs Arvind Bellad and Mahesh Tenginkai conducted the protests.

Protesters also took out a march, raised slogans 'Long Live Neha Hiremath' and staged sit-in demonstrations holding placards and Neha Hiremath's photograph. They burnt tyres in the middle of the road to express their anger.

The Anjuman-e-Islam, Dharwad observed a bandh for half-a-day from 10 am to 3 pm to condole Neha's murder and express its solidarity towards the bereaved family.

Muslim shop owners put up banners saying, 'Justice for Neha'.

BJP national president J P Nadda met the Hiremath family on Sunday. He demanded a CBI probe into the incident. He said the BJP will cooperate if the investigation of the case needs to be handed over to CBI so that the victim gets justice. Nadda expressed his apprehension that the ruling Congress would 'influence and dilute' the probe.

Reacting to the agitation, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the BJP had to resort to it because its 'double engine' government had failed. "The big engine will also fail," he said.

Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara alleged that this incident is being used for political gains. "I saw some posts on 'X' and Facebook which said 'Vote for Neha Hiremath. It means that this is being used for polictics," Parameshwara told reporters in Bengaluru.

He said the state government will initiate action as per law.

(With PTI inputs)