JOIN USNow, Karnataka BJP leaders bat for bulldozers against rioters
BJP leaders on Saturday raised the pitch for Karnataka to bulldoze the homes of rioters, similar to what was done in other party-ruled states.
BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel pushed for the ‘bulldozer’ approach by citing action taken by the governments in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
"The violence we are seeing is politically motivated and we expect more such incidents to be created in an election year. So, we need strong laws under which the properties of people who burn public offices and demoralise the police and society are taken over and demolished. This is what we, as a party, tell the government,” Kateel told reporters. “There is no caste or religion here because such acts of violence are equal to terrorism,” he added.
Revenue Minister R Ashoka, widely seen as number two in the Bommai administration, termed rioters "traitors who should not have a roof".
“Not all Muslims are criminals. There are good people among them,” Ashoka said. “But there are some who collude with foreign powers, keep ISI pamphlets in their house, spread anti-India messages and support Pakistan,” he said. "I will discuss the demolition of unauthorised houses with the CM, similar to what was done in UP and MP."
According to Ashoka, Bengaluru and Hubballi saw violence because of a “big conspiracy to create terror and disrupt economic activities”. Such rioters, he said, should be taught “the right lesson, whoever they may be".
Earlier, BJP national general secretary C T Ravi and Mysuru MP Pratap Simha argued in favour of bulldozing rioters’ homes.
Kateel also accused Congress of “creating anarchy” to come to power. “Congress is misleading people by trying to bring a bad name to the government. They are lighting the fire of communalism,” he said.
The BJP leader said Congress introduced terrorism and corruption in India. “Who created Bhindranwale? How did Dawood Ibrahim flee the country? And between Nehru and Manmohan Singh, India has seen scams worth Rs 4 lakh crore. Congress is the other name for corruption,” he charged. “It is the same mindset that was at work during the DJ Halli-KG Halli riots in which a Congress MLA was attacked by Congressmen. And, the Congressmen in jail haven’t been expelled still,” he said.
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