Bengaluru 2020 riots: Ex-Congress MLA says DK Shivakumar is protecting conspirators

After the state government, at the urging of a few state lawmakers, stated its willingness to drop the charges against the DJ Halli and KJ Halli rioters, a former Karnataka Congress MLA made an explosive remark on Thursday,  July 27 blaming Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar for protecting the conspirators. The riots that reportedly happened in August 2020 in east Bengaluru involved members of the SDPI as the main accused.

In an exclusive interview with the Republic, former Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy, whose home was destroyed in the KG Halli and DJ Halli riots, stated that the tragedy was the result of a government’s political plot. He accused DK Shivakumar, the KPCC president and deputy chief minister, of shielding the conspirators.

#BREAKING | Day after Congress leader demanded the release of Bengaluru rioters, former Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy blames KPCC president DK Shivakumar for shielding conspirators #Karnataka #BengaluruRiots #Congress #DKS pic.twitter.com/f1NfEqkzs6

— Republic (@republic) July 27, 2023

“On the night of August 11, 2020, the KG Halli, DJ Halli police station, my house and several vehicles were burnt. At that time BJP government was in power. In this case, the one who committed the crime should have got the punishment, not me. I am being punished when I haven’t done anything. I was Congress MLA in 2018 and won with the highest margin of votes that’s why they have targeted me. This was done to destroy my political career,” he said.

The ex-Congress MLA further added that former minister and current MLA Tanveer Sait has written a letter to the state government in connection with the riot asking them to release the accused.

“He stays in Mysore and has nothing to do with Bengaluru. He is getting support from Deputy CM as conspirators are being shielded. Despite winning in 2018 with the highest margins of votes, KPCC President DK Shivakumar has not given me the ticket in 2023. NIA has carried out an investigation into the case and the Court will give the judgement,” he said.

Murthy also stated that former Mayor Sampath Raj and former corporator Zakir were the main kingpins of this riot. He also requested Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara not to withdraw cases

Tanveer Sait, a Congress lawmaker from the Narasimharaja constituency, meanwhile was quoted saying in a statement that, “My letter to the Home Minister is clear. I have spoken about DJ Halli and KJ Halli, Shivamogga and Hubballi riots. I have asked that the undertrials against whom there are no charges should be let off. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody. My attempts to convince the government has failed previously. My letter is not based on any caste or creed. I have not pointed out any individual or organisation. The accused and the guilty should be punished. I was a victim myself previously (was attacked by PFI).”

Following an alleged Facebook post on Prophet Mohammad by the nephew of Pulakeshinagar Congress MLA, widespread violence broke out in Bengaluru’s DJ Halli and KJ Halli area in the year 2020. The violence claimed the lives of three persons and left several more injured. After the incident, the enraged crowd also attempted to set the police station on fire.

The Muslim mob, carrying petrol bombs and other weapons barged into the nearby police quarters and attacked the premises. The Muslim mob was also seen raising Islamic slogans like ‘Allah-hu-Akbar’ and ‘Nara-e-Taqbeer’ outside the police station.

Around 9 FIRs were registered in the case. However, in September 2020 the case was taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for further investigation.