K’taka: BJP leaders meet Guv over Aland riot case withdrawal

Bengaluru, June 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, submitted a memorandum to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Tuesday.

The delegation urged him to intervene and direct the state government to revoke its decision to withdraw criminal cases related to the Aland riot incident, alleging the move was aimed at appeasing minorities and pursuing vote-bank politics.

Several BJP leaders accompanied Narayanaswamy during the submission, including Legislative Council Deputy Leader of Opposition Sunil Valyapure, MLCs Shashil G. Namoshi and B.G. Patil, MLA Avinash Jadhav, former MP Dr. Umesh Jadhav, former MLC Amarnath Patil, Kalaburagi Rural District BJP President Ashok Bagali, and other party leaders and office-bearers.

Addressing reporters after meeting the Governor, Narayanaswamy described the government’s decision to withdraw cases against those accused of attacking the Sri Raghava Chaitanya Temple in Aland, Kalaburagi district, as shocking and condemnable.

He alleged that the incident involved desecration of the historic Sri Raghava Chaitanya Shivalinga, communal violence, damage to public property, and attacks on police personnel. Despite the seriousness of the allegations and the matter being pending before the court, the state government had chosen to withdraw the cases, he said.

Narayanaswamy pointed out that the Sri Raghava Chaitanya Temple and its Shivalinga have a history of over 600 years. The region has witnessed repeated communal disturbances, with lives lost in the past. Yet, the government had chosen to withdraw cases against those involved, he alleged.

He further claimed that thousands of people armed with swords and machetes attacked devotees gathered at the temple and those engaged in cleaning the premises after the alleged desecration of the Shivalinga. Police personnel who rushed to the spot were also assaulted, vehicles were damaged, and even the district administration faced attacks.

Describing the government’s decision as an insult to law-abiding citizens and Hindu sentiments, Narayanaswamy alleged that instead of ensuring punishment for the accused, the government had effectively encouraged them.

He also accused the government of adopting double standards in handling criminal cases. Dalits protesting for their rights face criminal charges, Kannada activists are booked for agitations in support of the language, and Karnataka Rakshana Vedike leader Narayana Gowda was jailed. However, in this case, instead of ensuring punishment for those accused of violence and attacks, the government had chosen to withdraw the cases, he said.

Narayanaswamy urged the Governor to ensure that the state cabinet’s decision is reconsidered and revoked.

It can be noted that the shrine at the centre of the dispute is associated with 14th-century Sufi saint Hazrat Shaikh Alauddin Ansari, also known as Ladle Mashaik, and 15th-century Hindu saint Raghava Chaitanya.

According to sources, Chaitanya was the guru of Samarth Ramadas, who was revered by the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji. The premises house the samadhi of Chaitanya, on which a structure referred to as the Raghava Chaitanya Shivling has been erected.

Historically, both Muslims and Hindus have offered prayers at the site. However, tensions have flared intermittently in recent years over worship rights and the character of the premises. The dispute resurfaced during Maha Shivaratri celebrations.

Violence broke out at the Ladle Mashak Dargah, where the Sri Raghava Chaitanya Shivaling is located. Tensions escalated after allegations that the Shivaling was desecrated by miscreants. In response, members of Hindu organisations visited the site to perform purification rituals.

During the event, large-scale violence broke out, with stone-pelting reported against vehicles and individuals, including a Union Minister, district officials such as the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, and leaders of Hindu organisations. Several people were injured in the incident.

Following the violence, Aland police registered cases against hundreds of persons, including an alleged key accused identified as Ansari. However, Congress leaders contended that several innocent Muslim youths were also named in the case and demanded that the charges against them be dropped. The Cabinet meeting chaired by outgoing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took the decision in this regard.

Source: IANS