Former Cong CM Siddaramaiah known for his Hinduphobia in the garb of secularism has done monkey balancing again over Bengaluru Riots. The former CM who was in quarantine following his treatment for COVID19, visited the riot hit places of Bengaluru today. However, while tweeting about his visit, he categorically mentioned that the riots could have been avoided if Naveen was immediately arrested for his FB comment seen as anti-Islamic.
Siddaramaiah in a series of tweets after his visit condemned the ‘act of violence’ and also urged that all those who were involved in the violence should be punished. But he next wrote “This could have been averted if police had taken swift action against Naveen”! He then tweeted that Police should gather evidence and pursue the case but then said “Release those people against whom there is no evidence. Innocents should not be framed and at the same time real culprits should not be let off”.
The balancing act by Siddaramaiah has not gone down well with the citizens who questioned his lack of unequivocal condemnation of one-sided riots. His balancing act was disproved by many netizens who pointed out that as a former CM he must have condemned the rioters for taking law into their hands and not blame a derogatory post. Siddaramaiah’s tweets almost absolved the rioters and pins the blame on Naveen alone as the cause, they said.
National General Secretary of BJP BL Santosh responded to Siddaramaiah saying “Ex CM from @INCKarnataka just gives sanction for destruction & riots in case of even flimsy grievance … No wonder he was voted out conclusively by voters of Karnataka . Can’t condemn riots or attack on his Party’s Dalit MLA but bats for rioters”.
VSK Karnataka wrote “Former Chief Minister @siddaramaiah fails to take a firm stand during his visit to the violence spot of #DJHalli #KGHalli. Appeasement continues: Siddaramaiah urges release of innocents arrested in #BengaluruRiots”
Another netizen pointed out that if riots were caused only because Naveen was not arrested, Hindu devotees too must have taken law into their hands when he visited Dharmasthala after consuming meat but they didn’t. This is the difference between the Bengaluru rioters and the Hindu devotees. You must speak like a person who had studied law, urged the user.
Another user tweeted that there have been innumerable derogatory and obscene posts on social media targeting Hindu gods, beliefs and traditions. But Hindus have not taken to violence or have caused riots just because the accused was not arrested despite complaints.
Few other netizens pointed out that while he was CM, his government failed to act on complaints filed by Hindus over many such derogatory posts. Many pointed out that Naveen’s post was in response to a derogatory and obscene post on a Hindu deity and he must have atleast mentioned that too instead of the balancing act to appease Muslims. His tweets almost absolve the rioters of the crime they said.
It can be recalled that Siddaramaiah as CM had quashed more than 100 FIRs filed against the dreaded Islamist organisation PFI and oits sister organisations which were filed over cases of riots, unlawful assembly, murders of Hindu leaders and others. More than 20 Hindu activists and leaders were murdered by Islamic Jihadis in Karnataka with Siddaramaiah at the helm as Chief Minister of the state.
