HDK accuses police of lying, demands House Committee probe into Mangaluru violence
BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister and Janata Dal-Secular leader HD Kumaraswamy on Friday demanded the setting up of a House Committee to probe the Mangaluru violence. Kumaraswamy, who released multiple videos of the violence related to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act in the coastal city, accused the Mangaluru police of deliberate excesses and harassment of innocent citizens and called for the suspension of Police Commissioner PS Harsha. The former Chief Minister said the magisterial inquiry ordered by the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government was a farce.
“I will raise this matter in the legislative assembly and demand that the government set up a House Committee comprising members from all political parties to probe the violence. The police in Mangaluru have lied to people and are not trustworthy. The magisterial inquiry is being carried out by the District Commissioner who will submit a report exactly how the government wants. This is a farce. Let the
House Committee expose the truth,” HD Kumaraswamy told the media after releasing the videos.
About 35 videos he released, the former Chief Minister claimed, showed police firing without provocation, selective targetting of citizens, assaulting citizens without reason and finally shooting two “innocent
citizens” dead.
“The Commissioner claimed a dozen policemen were injured but when I sought information from PS Harsha, they could produce proof of injuries for only two policemen. He blatantly lied to the people. How can we trust this government and police? They aren’t even allowing the people’s tribunal to inquire into the matter,” Kumaraswamy added highlighting that it is a matter of worry that the government stalled a Supreme Court Judge (Retd) Gopala Gowda from holding a press conference about their findings in the case.
Kumaraswamy, who had gone silent after resigning as Chief Minister of the Congress-JDS coalition government, is now all set to attack the BJP government when the assembly convenes on February 17. “Throw your CAA into the dustbin. From economic slowdown, death of infants at hospitals, violence on students to lack of jobs, there are a hundred problems in the country,” Kumaraswamy said as he appealed to Home Minister Amit Shah to speak to people of Hubballi about Mahadayi and not CAA when he visits the district later this month.
I watched all of his videos and they raise more questions about the protesters than Police. Some of the religious chants by protesting crowd (I’m intentionally skipping this part) raises serious questions on their original motive. These videos are going to backfire. Please note that Police didn’t initiate violence. They were simply responding to stone pelting crowd. What do expect? Shower them with flowers?