Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday blamed the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) for the violence in Mangaluru during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act that left two killed in police firing. “The State government is mulling over banning the two organisations,” he said.
He also blamed Congress leader U.T. Khader for the violence in the city.
Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa alleged the Congress was “unfairly communalising” the CAA and dividing Hindus and Muslims in the country.
Mr. Kateel termed the violence in Mangaluru a “Kashmir-style attack” that was “pre-meditated”. “Ordinary protesters with genuine reasons do not attack the police, but in Mangalore violence, CCTV grabs show that the police were the target of attacks. In Kashmir too the police are the target,” he said.
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has written to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa seeking seizure of properties of rioters in the State to recover the costs of damage to public property during the violence, as being done in Uttar Pradesh. He has also appealed to the State government to bear medical expenses of the policemen injured in the violence.
