Crimes have reduced in State during Congress Rule – HM Ramalinga Reddy
Udupi: The state home minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday March 5 released statistics on communal killings during the congress rule which indicate that such crimes have drastically reduced.
Speaking to the media persons after the review meeting of the Coastal security police at Malpe on March 5, said that since 2013, 13 Muslims were killed by organizations like the HJV, Sri Rama Sene, Bajrang Dal etc. compared to 11 Hindus being killed by Muslim activists. It pointed out that MP Shobha Kharandlaje’s list had mentioned 14 persons being killed due to communal reasons, but investigations revealed that one person, Ashok Poojary of Idu Karkala is still alive and the majority of the rest were killed for “political” reasons or suicide.
The BJP had claimed that the Karthik Raj murder in Konaje was by Muslim activists, but investigations revealed that it was done by the victim’s sister. Similarly, Harish was killed due to a dispute in fishing rights. Vaman Poojary, of Moodbidri, and Rajan Madikere had committed suicide, and were not murdered.
The death of another 4 Hindus, which the BJP claimed as communal deaths, were due to other reasons like suicide, road accident, land dispute, political and fishing rights dispute. 11 Hindu activists were killed by Muslims/Muslim activists and 3 Muslims were killed by Hindu activists, he said.
The 14 other deaths were due to various other reasons, including personal enmity or suicides. As the murders of Paresh Mesta and Santhosh were still under investigation, they could not be categorized as political murders yet, he said.
The crime rates should have increased over the years due to population growth in the state but it hasn’t. During 2008-2012 BJP rule, 8,885 persons were killed, but between 2013-17, the number was reduced to 7,759. Similarly, 5,542 dacoity cases were registered during the Congress rule against 9,648 earlier, he added.
However, sexual assaults and chain snatching cases have increased over the years. During the BJP tenure, 2,922 such cases were registered and it increased to 3,833 from 2013-17.
He said, “The KFD and PFI are all by-products of the BJP’s strategy to divide the Congress votes. However, the Congress government has taken stern measures to curtail the factories acting as the fundamental terrors on both the sides.”
He added that the weapons transported to the state are largely delivered from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
“The poll results in North East India cannot be compared with Karnataka as these states had no stable governments and also are very small in size. The Tripura result would have no impact on Karnataka polls as the Congress is all set to clinch the victory with huge margin,” he expressed.
He said there might only 7-8 Maoists in the belt and also these might have migrated to Kerala.
Western Range IGP Arun Chakravathy, Coastal Gaurd SP K T Balakrishna and others were present.
