Bengaluru riot: Was Yediyurappa government sleeping, asks Congress

The Congress, on Wednesday, targeted the state government over the violence in Bengaluru, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order.

“It is a complete failure of law and order machinery and rule of law. Was Yediyurappa government sleeping or waiting for the violence to happen?” Randeep Singh Surjewala, chief Congress spokesman. said.

Follow all the latest updates on the Bengaluru violence here

Surjewala also termed the riots and arson as “reprehensible, condemnable and unacceptable”.

“Why did police not act in time? Who is responsible for three deaths?” Surjewala said.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said those who had incited and perpetrated the riots must be found, arrested and given exemplary punishment.

“But they are not to be equated with an entire community any more than thugs & vigilantes represent all Hindus,” Tharoor said.

Senior BJP leader B L Santosh hit back at the Congress, accusing it of practising the policy of appeasement of a particular community and failing to come out in support of its own MLA, whose house was attacked by the mob.

“Instead of condemning the riots, coming out openly against attack & loot of the house of a Dalit MLA who belongs to Karnataka Congress, why this beating around the bush...? He is one among you. Support him. Stop hypocrisy,” B L Santhosh, BJP general secretary (organisation), said.

“We strongly condemn this act. Hooligans wanted to go scotfree & attacked brave media personnel. Why are ‘selective free speech proponents’ silent,” BJP spokesman G V L Narasimha Rao asked.