The BJP claims law and order has taken a turn for the worse.
The issue of repeated sexual assaults on schoolgirls and women took centre stage in Karnataka today with a protest by the opposition BJP, during which 20 members of the party were taken into custody.
In Karnataka, particularly in Bangalore, incidents like rapes and sexual harassment are increasing rapidly day by day. Our home minister has not taken any responsibility," said former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who took part in the protests.
"The police is not serious about these things. That is why we are protesting and more than 6000 mahila workers are having a protest meeting. The government has failed in all respects. Law and order situation is getting worse by the day," he added.
Since July, a series of alleged sexual assaults on schoolchildren has rocked Bangalore. (Read:
School Director and Principal Arrested Over Alleged Rape of Six-Year-Old in Bengaluru)
There have been reports of rapes from other parts of the state as well. The most controversial of these was a mystery death of a schoolgirl in Shivamogga. The girl, according to her parents, was abducted, drugged or poisoned and then raped, died in a hospital in Manipal on October 29. (
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On Tuesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the BJP was trying to create confusion in the minds of the people.
"The BJP is creating confusion in the minds of the people. In their period, there were attacks on churches. The BJP workers were taking the law into their hands. We did not permit that. The law and order situation is good in Karnataka," the Chief Minister had said.
Rebutting the Chief Minister's statement, BJP state party chief Prahlad Joshi said, "They are saying the BJP is poilticising the issue. What is that? Let him explain. We will go to the people and see that this government behaves properly. Like the warning on cigarette packets, George (KJ) remaining as home minister is injurious to Karnataka."