‘Poor governance’ reason for Maddur trouble: HDK

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy has blamed the “poor governance” by the Congress government in the State for the incident where stones were thrown at a Ganesha idol immersion procession in Maddur town on Sunday, while the BJP spoke of the alleged bias of the government for such an incident and announced that a delegation of party senior leaders would visit Maddur on September 10.

In a statement from New Delhi, Mr. Kumaraswamy, who represents Mandya in the Lok Sabha, criticised the Congress government for acting in a manner that had left the Hindu community in the State “dissatisfied”.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, whose JD(S) is an alliance partner of the BJP, said certain forces were trying to set fire to Mandya district and urged the people of the district to thwart such efforts.

He said he had spoken to Mandya Deputy Commissioner Kumar and Superintendent of Police Mallikarjuna Baladandi over phone and instructed them to take strict action against the miscreants.

Recalling an incident reported in Nagamangala last year, Mr. Kumaraswamy said a similiar incident had now disturbed peace in Maddur. Though such incidents used to occur sporadically in one or two districts, they were now happening regularly across the State after the Congress came to power.

Referring to such “unrest” in the State, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it was clear that the downfall of the Congress was not far away. “If the Congress fails to understand it, it will amount to political suicide by the party,” he said.

Meanwhile, JD (S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who visited Mandya on Monday, condemned the police lathi-charge on the people taking out a protest march in Maddur on Monday in response to a call by pro-Hindutva organisations.

He argued that Home Minister G. Parameshwara and Minister in charge of Mandya district, N. Cheluvarayaswamy, should take responsibility for the stone-pelting incident in Maddur on Sunday. He said the police had become helpless under the present regime.

BJP DELEGATION:

BJP State unit president B.Y. Vijayendra told media persons in Delhi that the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had been hurting the sentiments of majority community through various unfair actions.

He said the BJP delegation which would comprise himself, leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of the State legisalture and former Deputy Chief Minister. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, among others, would try to instil confidence among those who have been hurt.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok alleged that atrocities were being committed in the State, including in Maddur, by the communal gang inspired by Mr. Siddaramaiah. He said the BJP would launch a struggle for the protection of Hindus.