Karnataka will follow Yogi's "UP model" to rein in communal forces if need be: Bommai

The situation in Uttar Pradesh is different and Yogi is dealing with it accordingly

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R If need be, Karnataka will follow Yogi's "UP model" to rein in communal forces in the state, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, during the press conference held in Vidhana Soudha on Thursday that marks his completing of one year in office. 

Bommai was answering a query on BJP party workers venting their ire against the government's failure to protect the Hindu activists. Massive protests were held across the state following the hacking of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru in Bellare in Dakshina Kannada on July 26.

"The situation in Uttar Pradesh is different and Yogi is dealing with it accordingly. If need be Karnataka will follow Yogi's model to tackle the communal forces," said Bommai.

In a bid to pacify the BJP party cadres, who are demanding stern action on the lines of the "Yogi (Adityanath) model", Bommai assured that there has been no laxity on the part of the government in any case.

"In the last decade, Karnataka has seen the communal forces at play. But our efficient police force has apprehended and sent them to Tihar jail with help from NIA. Be it DJ Halli, KG Halli or Mangaluru riots or the recent murder (of Praveen), the government has been handling these cases very seriously. In Harsha (Shimoga) murder case too, the action was taken within 24 hours. We will not compromise on law and order. We will not talk, but will act," said Bommai adding that his government had declared war against organised crime.

The chief minister claimed that some forces were trying to create tense situations by citing the example of the Hijab row. "The Hijab row was restricted to five students of a college. But some organisations exploited the situation. However, our government chose to seek legal course as in the case of azaan row. This helped us contain a possible communal flare-up,” reasoned Bommai, adding that such issues diverted the government's attention from its development agenda.

To a question on the BJP supporters demanding a ban on the Popular Front of India and its political wing SDPI over the serial killings of Hindu activists, Bommai maintained that banning the organisation was the prerogative of the Centre. 

"Only the Centre can ban PFI or SDPI. The Karnataka government has given its input to the Centre and the process (of banning) has already begun. Some states have attempted to ban these organisations but the court stayed it," explained Bommai. 

 Dismissing charges that the state government was following double standards in treating the murders of B. Masood, who was killed by eight persons recently and Praveen Nettaru's case, Bommai contended that arrests had been made in Masood's case and similarly, the culprits in Praveen's case would be arrested soon. 

Bommai was defiant when asked if his party leaders were guilty of making provocative statements triggering violence. "None of our leaders has instigated the people to resort to violence," he said. 

While the BJP government and the party have drawn flak from the saffron cadres for the delay in cancelling the one-year celebrations of the Bommai government, the CM said, "I saw party workers vent out their anger. I wanted to cancel all celebrations but thought about it the whole night as I needed to discuss it with party workers who had toiled hard to put together the Dodsaballapura (Janotsava) celebrations. As a government it is also our responsibility to let people know about the welfare schemes and programmes," said Bommai, who will be visiting Mangaluru on Thursday evening to meet the family of the slain BJP leader.