A day after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, facing anger over a BJP worker's killing, threatened to use the "Yogi (Adityanath) model" against "communal forces", a minister declared that the state government could go "five steps ahead of Uttar Pradesh" and carry out encounters targeting the accused.
"They will be arrested but it's the wish of our workers and people that such incidents shouldn't happen. According to their wish there will be action, the culprits will be caught, they will be nabbed. Whether that is going to be encounter, we will go five steps ahead of Uttar Pradesh. We will give a better model than UP. Karnataka is a progressive state and a model state, we don't need to follow anyone," said Karnataka Higher education Minister Ashwath Narayan.
Yesterday, facing the fury of his own party men over the murder of BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru, Mr Bommai had said he was ready to use the "Yogi Adityanath model against communal forces" if the situation called for it. Hours later, the Chief Minister tweaked his comment to say it could be the "Yogi model or the Karnataka model".
Praveen Nettaru was hacked to death on Tuesday while he was closing his poultry shop in the Dakshina Karnataka district. The two men arrested for the killing were said to have links with the Popular Front of India, an extremist Islamic organization. The Chief Minister has handed over the case to the country's top anti-terror body, the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The BJP and many right-wing groups accused Mr Bommai's year-old government of failing to protect the lives of Hindu workers.
As pressure from his own party escalated, the Chief Minister yesterday referenced his UP counterpart.
"For the situation in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi (Adityanath) is the right chief minister. Similarly, there are different methods to deal with the situation in Karnataka and all of them are being used. If the situation demands, the Yogi model government will come to Karnataka too," Mr Bommai said.
The "Yogi model" is seen to describe stringent action like jail for the accused or the razing of their houses using bulldozers. Critics allege that the crackdown is directed mostly at one community and has been used in BJP-ruled states to target Muslims.
This morning, Mr Bommai said he had asked the police to take "appropriate measures" after another killing. A Muslim man was hacked to death last night in Mangaluru by masked attackers.
"For us, the life of every person is important. We treat everyone equally. We want strict action in all the cases," said the Chief Minister.
Asked to clarify his comment on adopting the "Yogi model", he said: "I will not explain anything now. As and when required, whatever is necessary within the frame of law we will do all actions, it might be UP model or the Karnataka model."
The Congress said Mr Bommai's "Yogi model" pitch showed that Karnataka is in chaos and beyond his control.
"If the government is saying that UP model of governance is going to come to Karnataka it is agreeing to the fact that the state is in chaos and the UP model of lawlessness and anarchy is prevalent here. They are admitting they have failed to control the fringe elements and uphold the law and order," said Priyanka Kharge, Congress spokesperson.
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