K’taka: Suspension of SI not possible, action only after report says Cong; BJP hits back
Bengaluru: After a massive political storm erupted over a social media post against the Varanasi judge in Karnataka, the Congress on Tuesday outrightly rejected the demand of suspension of the Sub-Inspector (SI) of Police, Tanveer Hussain while the BJP has warned that the Congress government will be held responsible for disturbing law and order in the state.
The BJP earlier on Tuesday raised this issue during the Zero Hour in the state Assembly.
Opposition leader R. Ashoka, former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, among others, demanded that thousands of advocates were protesting, demanding suspension of the SI of Ijoor police station, Tanveer Hussain, for filing FIRs against 40 advocates.
Former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA, C.N. Ashwath Narayan said: “PFI workers’ conduct in the case is “unacceptable”. The law is misused. The concerned SI Tanveer Hussain, though he is a lower-rung officer there is a situation where the top police officers have to listen to him. The matter should not be taken as a matter of prestige.”
Karnataka Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, replied to the BJP, saying, “I have understood the seriousness of the matter and it can lead to many other developments. I appeal to the counsels and office bearers of Advocates’ Association to call off the protest and cooperate.”
“Strict action will be taken against the SI once the investigation report is submitted in this case. We should know why the case is lodged against advocates.”
Former CM Bommai objected to Parameshwara’s comments and stated a similar incident had happened in Chikkamagaluru.
“The conflict between the police and the advocates would create problems in the coming days. Suspending a police officer was not like punishing him. There were serious charges levelled against him. They (Congress) talk about the maintenance of law and order in the State. The state government must answer whether the law and order in the state was important or the prestige of SI.
“In the Haveri incident, the Congress government suspended the Circle Inspector and Sub-Inspector before the beginning of the probe and inquired about them. A similar step must be taken in this incident also,” Bommai added.
“Under whose pressure have you come under?” Bommai asked the Karnataka Home Minister.
BJP legislators came near the well of the Assembly House and raised slogans protesting against the Congress government.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader C.P. Yogeshwar took part in the protest with advocates in Ramanagara.
Yogeshwar demanded the intervention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the issue.
“Being an advocate, CM Siddaramaiah is ready to take action but he is hesitant as Ramanagara region is controlled by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother and Congress MP D.K. Suresh. I can understand his predicament,” the BJP leader said.
The protest for suspension of the police SI, Tanveer Hussain, is in response to his filing an FIR against 40 advocates in connection with the incident related to a defamatory post by an advocate and SDPI worker Chand Pasha against a Varanasi judge, who gave a verdict in the Gyanvapi mosque case.
The incident had taken a communal turn and the police had registered an FIR against the advocates on charges of assaulting a group of people questioning action against advocate Chand Pasha for posting a derogatory comment against the judge.
The protestors said that the filing of cases against 40 advocates was “politically motivated”.
The advocates had said that they would launch a ‘Vidhana Soudha Chalo’ agitation on Wednesday.
The Bar Association of New Delhi and 193 Bar Associations in Karnataka have extended their support to the agitation.
JD-S leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Opposition leader R. Ashoka visited the spot and extended their support to the protest on Monday night.