01-23-2007, 12:54 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Bangalore riots: Sharief role under cloud</b>
Pioneer News service | Bangalore
While the hand of a senior Congress politician is suspected for triggering the violence, which engulfed parts of Bangalore since Friday, the ruling BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) Government has to take the blame for failing to nip the trouble in the bud.
It all started with a rally organised by senior Congress leader and former Union Minister CK Jaffer Sharief to condemn the hanging of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
<b>It was evident that Sharief had organised the rally with a hidden agenda and it was not a spontaneous reaction to the hanging of the Iraqi leader, some three weeks ago.</b>
It was apparent that Sharief, who has been marginalised in the Congress after his defeat in the last Lok Sabha poll, wanted to resurrect himself and create a communal divide in his Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency.
<b>The police had enough indication of the impending violence as some of the processionists were carrying weapons. However, the police had failed to deploy adequate personnel to tackle the crowds.<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'> Taking advantage of the lax security, a section of the processionists went on the rampage and targeted the homes and properties of the majority community who live in the lanes and by-lanes of the Muslim-dominated areas of Shivajinagar, Commercial Street, Bharati Nagar and Frazer Town.</b> </span>
Surprisingly, both Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Home Minister MP Prakash failed to visit the riot-hit areas when the eastern parts of the city were burning.
Sunday's violence was anticipated as the RSS had organised conventions at three places to mark the birth centenary of their leader Madhawa Sadashiva Golwalkar. One of the venues of the convention was near Ulsoor Lake, part of the area affected by Friday's violence.
However, the police had yet again failed to anticipate trouble when Shoba Yatras were taken out as part of the convention.
<b>The violence broke out on Sunday during the Shoba Yatra following rumours that miscreants had damaged an idol at a place of worship.
The Hindu Samavesha activists vented their ire by throwing stones at shops, business establishments and educational institutions along the route. </b>
According to reports, the police who generally take video shots of the riots, failed to record the mayhem.
This is the second major communal flare-up after the BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) assumed office nearly a year ago.
<b>Violence marred life for nearly a week some days ago in the port towns of Mangalore and Udupi. There were reports that the minority community bore the brunt of the attack</b>.
It is time the coalition Government acted with toughness against unemployed politicians and the hotheads in the Sangh Parivar.Â
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Pioneer News service | Bangalore
While the hand of a senior Congress politician is suspected for triggering the violence, which engulfed parts of Bangalore since Friday, the ruling BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) Government has to take the blame for failing to nip the trouble in the bud.
It all started with a rally organised by senior Congress leader and former Union Minister CK Jaffer Sharief to condemn the hanging of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
<b>It was evident that Sharief had organised the rally with a hidden agenda and it was not a spontaneous reaction to the hanging of the Iraqi leader, some three weeks ago.</b>
It was apparent that Sharief, who has been marginalised in the Congress after his defeat in the last Lok Sabha poll, wanted to resurrect himself and create a communal divide in his Bangalore North Lok Sabha constituency.
<b>The police had enough indication of the impending violence as some of the processionists were carrying weapons. However, the police had failed to deploy adequate personnel to tackle the crowds.<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'> Taking advantage of the lax security, a section of the processionists went on the rampage and targeted the homes and properties of the majority community who live in the lanes and by-lanes of the Muslim-dominated areas of Shivajinagar, Commercial Street, Bharati Nagar and Frazer Town.</b> </span>
Surprisingly, both Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Home Minister MP Prakash failed to visit the riot-hit areas when the eastern parts of the city were burning.
Sunday's violence was anticipated as the RSS had organised conventions at three places to mark the birth centenary of their leader Madhawa Sadashiva Golwalkar. One of the venues of the convention was near Ulsoor Lake, part of the area affected by Friday's violence.
However, the police had yet again failed to anticipate trouble when Shoba Yatras were taken out as part of the convention.
<b>The violence broke out on Sunday during the Shoba Yatra following rumours that miscreants had damaged an idol at a place of worship.
The Hindu Samavesha activists vented their ire by throwing stones at shops, business establishments and educational institutions along the route. </b>
According to reports, the police who generally take video shots of the riots, failed to record the mayhem.
This is the second major communal flare-up after the BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) assumed office nearly a year ago.
<b>Violence marred life for nearly a week some days ago in the port towns of Mangalore and Udupi. There were reports that the minority community bore the brunt of the attack</b>.
It is time the coalition Government acted with toughness against unemployed politicians and the hotheads in the Sangh Parivar.Â
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