Mandya: The communal riots that erupted in the Mandya district during the Ganesha immersion procession have now gained national attention. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the issue during a rally in Kurukshetra, Haryana on Saturday. The controversy centres around an incident in Nagamangala, Mandya, where Hindu activists protesting the riots were detained by police, who also took custody of a Ganesha murti. Images and videos of the Ganesha murti locked inside a police vehicle have gone viral, sparking widespread outrage.
During his speech in Kurukshetra, Prime Minister Modi strongly criticised the Congress government in Karnataka, accusing it of engaging in appeasement politics. “Ganapati has been put behind bars in Karnataka,” Modi declared, referring to the viral images of the Ganesha murti inside a police van. “The Congress will go to any extent for appeasement,” the Prime Minister said, attacking the Congress-led state government for allegedly disrespecting Hindu religious sentiments.
Modi also took the opportunity to address broader issues concerning the Congress party, accusing it of dishonesty and of working to divide the country. “Congress is anti-reservation. Every day they tell a new lie. Does Congress have no shame in lying? They continuously attack the unity of this country. Defaming the BJP at the cost of defaming the country is disgraceful,” he remarked. Modi emphasized that today’s Congress is not the Congress of old, but a party that has embraced “urban Naxalism.”
The incident that has caused such a stir occurred on September 12, when Hindu activists staged a protest in front of the Bangalore Town Hall, demanding action against those responsible for the stone-pelting during the Ganesha immersion procession in Nagamangala. The protest was organized by the Bangalore Mahanagar Ganesh Utsav Samiti, which called for the release of the arrested Hindu members involved in the clash and action against the rioters.
During the protest, the police arrested around 40 activists to maintain law and order, and in the process, the Ganesha murti carried by the protestors was placed inside a police van. Videos and photos of the murti being transported in a police vehicle quickly spread across social media, leading to accusations that the police had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.
BJP leaders wasted no time in condemning the Congress-led state government for mishandling the situation. State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra took to Twitter to express his outrage, accusing the government of failing to protect religious practices and showing disrespect towards Lord Ganesha. “The Congress government has insulted Ganapati. They must apologize for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus,” Vijayendra wrote.
Other BJP leaders echoed similar sentiments, accusing the Congress government of disrespecting Hindu traditions and failing to address the communal tensions in Mandya. They have called for swift action to restore religious harmony and protect the rights of Hindu devotees.
The Ganesha murti incident has sparked a broader conversation about religious freedom and police actions in Karnataka. Protestors accused the police of not only arresting the activists but also mishandling the sacred murti by placing it in a police vehicle. Some activists claimed that the murti was “destroyed” while in police custody, though authorities have denied these allegations, stating that the murti was safely kept in the vehicle.
The incident has further fueled anger among Hindu organizations, who view the government’s handling of the situation as an affront to their faith. In response, several protests have been staged across the state, demanding accountability from the Congress government and an apology for what they describe as a gross violation of religious respect.
Prime Minister Modi’s remarks in Kurukshetra have brought the issue to the national stage, amplifying the debate over the Congress party’s governance in Karnataka. “The entire country is celebrating Ganesha festival today, but Congress is obstructing it,” Modi said, accusing the Congress of standing in the way of Hindu religious practices.
Modi’s sharp criticism of the Congress for its handling of the communal riots and the Ganesha murti controversy comes at a time when tensions between the two major parties are running high, particularly in Karnataka, a state that has often been a political battleground.
The communal riot in Mandya and the subsequent Ganesha murti controversy have now become a significant political issue, with national leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi weighing in on the matter. The Congress government in Karnataka finds itself under intense scrutiny, as BJP leaders continue to accuse it of disrespecting Hindu sentiments and mishandling the situation.
As the debate continues to unfold, the images of the Ganesha murti inside the police van remain a powerful symbol of the larger political and communal tensions gripping Karnataka. With Prime Minister Modi’s comments drawing national attention, the incident is likely to play a key role in the ongoing political discourse in the state.
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