Police targeting Hindutva activists in keeping with govt.’s appeasement policy, says Yatnal

“Guided by the State government’s policies of minority appeasement, police officers are targeting Hindutva activists,” Vjayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, who has been expelled from the BJP, said in Bagalkot on Monday.

He told reporters that the law and order situation has deteriorated completely in the State.

“The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s appeasement policies have emboldened communal elements. They know that the police will not act against them, as long as the Congress is in power. We will fight against this,” he said.

He said that he will form a new party called JCB, as it will have dissidents from all three parties, Janata Dal(S), Congress and BJP. “The JCB party will come to power in the next elections,” he said.

He said that the Bagalkot Police have arrested innocent Hindutva activists as accused in the recent stone-throwing incident in the old city. He said that the police are enforcing different rules for different communities. He warned of protests if innocent Hindutva activists are arrested.

He said that some communal elements sitting inside the Panka mosque in the old city threw stones on the Shivaji Jayanti procession. He demanded that officers should verify if all Panka mosque documents are legally valid. He also demanded that all mosques should be closed when Hindutva organisations take out processions. He demanded that the district administration unveil statues of Basavanna and Shivaji in Bagalkot town.

Hindutva leaders Ashok Limbavali, Mohan Jadhav and others were present.