"Communal Murders In Karnataka Will End If...": Siddaramaiah

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah today wondered how moral policing in Karnataka will stop if Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai gives "provocative statements".

Expressing concern over rising cases of moral policing taking communal hue in Karnataka, the former chief minister highlighted the spate of recent murders in the state especially in the coastal region.

During Zero Hour in the state assembly, Congress MLA and former minister U T Khader raised the issue. He said the recent murder of a 45-year-old Muslim man in Surathkal town of Dakshina Kannada district on Friday night was linked to moral policing.

Joining the discussion, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah accused Mr Bommai himself of giving provocative statements.

Siddaramaiah alleged that moral policing is mostly done by right-wing outfit Bajrang Dal. In this context, he pointed out that a murder had taken place in the place exactly at the location where the Muslim man was killed in Surathkal.

He even claimed that whenever the Chief Minister visited Mangaluru, the district headquarters town of Dakshina Kannada, murders take place there.

"When will this (communal murders) end? Until the moral policing is not stopped, this will continue. Further, the Chief Minister himself gives provocative statements - 'There is reaction to every action'. How will this stop if people provoke or speak in a manner supporting such incidents," Siddaramaiah said.

He asked what was the need for police and law when moral policing is supported.

Siddaramaiah also alleged that the Chief Minister was discriminating against people while giving compensation to the victims in communal incidents.

"The Chief Minister gives compensation when a murder (of a Hindu) takes place while he does not give compensation when a Muslim is murdered. Why is there such discrimination? It's government money. Give compensation to both," the former chief minister said.

He even alleged that the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is used selectively.

"Some are booked under UAPA while others involved in similar crime are not. Book everyone indulged in such crime under UAPA without discrimination," Sidaramaiah demanded the government.

The former chief minister expressed concern over the rising cases of murders with communal colour and moral policing in the coastal region, and asked the government to act tough against the accused.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy rejected the charges saying that the police were registering cases under suitable provisions of the law depending on the cases.

"When it comes to compensation, we cannot give compensation to criminals. Victim is different and the criminal is different. If someone is a victim, then the government has to give compensation but those who are involved in various crimes, it cannot be given," Madhuswamy said.

Regarding moral policing issues raised by the Opposition, the minister said the government will stop it.

"I don't know whether it is moral policing or immoral policing but we will certainly stop it. We have not given any free hand as has been said by Khader," Madhuswamy said.

"If a crime has taken place, then police will act... We never support any moral policing," the minister said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)