Hubballi sedition case: Oppn locks horns with BJP in Council

Recently, the Hubballi police arrested three youths studying in KLE College in the city, for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans in their hostel, a video of which went viral. However, it was reported later that the youths were released later for lack of evidence even as they were sent to judicial custody.

MLC and senior JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti urged the government to lay out the facts clearly and solve the confusion. “If they raised these slogans, why did the police not initiate stringent action?” he asked, while Congress’ S R Patil added that the police were “soft peddling” the issue.

Congress member Ivan D’Souza said the government picked and chose registration of sedition cases. “There was no action initiated in the school in Dakshina Kannada which made students take part in a play (re-enacting Babri masjid demotion),” he said.

Other MLCs flayed the government for the “unjust” manner in which a sedition case was slapped against the mother of a child in a Bidar school, for taking part in an anti-CAA play.

Retorting this, BJP’s Ayanur Manjunath said one had to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “instilling patriotism” among people who usually supported the ‘Tukde Tukde gang’. Congress leader H M Revanna shot back, saying: “The BJP does not own the sentiment of patriotism.”

Congress members resorted to dharna over the ‘terrorist’ remark by a BJP member. Debating on the Mangaluru firing incident of December 19, they pointed that the district-in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary (who is also the leader of the House) did not even visit the victims’ houses. BJP member N Ravikumar said, “Why should the minister visit the houses of terrorists?”

Agitated by the remark, the Opposition leaders walked to the Well. JD(S) members supported the Congress members and joined the dharna, forcing chairperson Pratapchandra Shetty to adjourn the house briefly. Later, despite the apology by Ravikumar, Congress leaders Ivan D’Souza and Harish Kumar continued their dharna.