The intensifying protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act across the State and the violence in Mangaluru, following firing by the police, has sparked off a political blame game.
While Congress and JD(S) leaders strongly condemned the “police’s high-handedness”, alleging that the State government was repressing people’s right to express their opinions and protest, the BJP blamed them for “instigating” protests, leading to violence.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, while appealing for peace, claimed that Opposition parties and leaders who are against the CAA were making noise with political motives. He claimed that the people of this country were “intelligent [enough] to understand their motives”. “The Citizenship (Amendment) Act is a national Act. It is a constitutional provision, there is no question of States rejecting it. As a member of a federal set-up, every State is bound by the Constitution,” he said.
In a series of tweets, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the police action against protesters. In one tweet, he said, “Be it Mahatma Gandhi or Bhagat Singh, Nehru or Sardar Patel, all the freedom fighters protested and fought for independence in spite of regressive police action. More the policing, stronger the protest. History is a great teacher.”
Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that nothing better could be expected of a party “that is out to change the Constitution”. “The State and the Centre have completely failed in maintaining law and order and [are] following repressive practices. They are creating an atmosphere of fear by unleashing violence against protesters. This looks like a precursor to Emergency,” he said.
