BJP not against Muslims; protest was against cop’s remarks: K’taka MP on Ganesh procession row
Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP and royal scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar on Wednesday said the BJP was not opposed to Muslims and clarified that the party’s protest in T. Narasipura town was against remarks made by a police inspector regarding a procession in front of a mosque.
Speaking in Mysuru, Yaduveer said the BJP had staged the protest condemning the police inspector’s statement that a procession would not be allowed in front of a mosque.
“We are opposed to the T. Narasipura police inspector. For that reason, we have protested. We have not protested targeting Muslims,” he said.
Yaduveer said the BJP’s protest should not be portrayed as being directed against the Muslim community.
Responding to criticism over BJP leaders wearing shoes and slippers while holding Ganesh idols during the protest in front of the T. Narasipura police station, Yaduveer said the idols being carried by the protesters had not been installed.
“For installed idols, that kind of respect is given. The idols which we held were not installed. In that respect, it is not an issue of controversy. We were wearing chappals while protesting on the street,” he said.
Yaduveer also alleged that the police had defended Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the issue.
“I have observed that the police defended CM Shivakumar. If you defend such statements, what would be the public opinion?” he questioned.
Referring to the police inspector’s remarks at a peace meeting, Yaduveer said the language used by the officer was inappropriate.
He quoted the inspector as saying in Kannada, “If a procession is taken in front of the mosque, he will make them repent,” and, “If you people go there, you get charged up.”
Yaduveer questioned whether such language was appropriate for a police officer to use during a peace meeting.
“You ask anyone in society whether using such language in a peace meeting is right or wrong. If such language is used in a peace meeting, who is answerable?” he asked.
The BJP MP maintained that the party’s protest was against the police inspector’s alleged remarks and not against any particular community.
It can be recalled that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday (September 13) staged a protest in Karnataka’s T Narsipur over alleged curbs on a Ganesha procession, even as the district police said there were no restrictions on the route or the festival.
The protest was held after T Narsipur Police Inspector Dhananjaya warned Ganesha procession organisers against bursting crackers in front of a mosque on Link Road, reports said. The BJP interpreted the remarks as restrictions on the procession and demanded the inspector’s suspension.
Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, MLA T.S. Srivatsa, former MP Pratap Simha and other BJP leaders joined the protest. Ashoka carried a Ganesha idol and led a march along the Link Road. The BJP leaders were later detained by the police and subsequently released.
