Author: PTI
Publication: DNA (Daily News & Analysis)
Date: September 22, 2008
URL: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1192327&pageid=0
Reacting over the advisories sent to the BJP
government by the Centre on violence against Christians, Karnataka Chief Minister
B S Yeddyurappa on Monday accused the Congress-led UPA of adopting a policy
of double standards.
When the serial blasts rocked Delhi, the Union Home Ministry "kept silent"
(did not send advisory to Delhi Government), Yeddyurappa said after an emergency
cabinet meeting convened to review law and order situation.
"When 20,000 Hindus were massacred in Jammu and Kashmir, when there were
serial blasts in Mumbai, when Andhra Pradesh Home Minister was killed, when
18 people were killed in Singur, the Union Home Ministry did not dare to send
advisories," the chief minister said.
"People should ponder over this (attitude of the Congress-led coalition)
and media should note," he said.
Indicating that the Centre did not send advisories when the Congress was ruling
the State, Yeddyurappa pointed out that the Supreme Court had said that the
then S M Krishna Government had no moral right to continue in office for failure
to nab forest brigand Veerappan.
The Centre also did not send an advisory after violence against Dalits at
Kambalapalli when M Mallikarjuna Kharge (now Leader of Opposition in the Assembly)
was state Home Minister, he said.
The Centre had sent two advisories to the state government asking it to improve
law and order in the wake of attacks on the churches and prayer halls.
Yeddyurappa accused the opposition parties
-- the Congress and the JDS -- of hatching a conspiracy to somehow topple
the BJP government.
"Frustrated at losing power, Kumaraswamy (former Chief Minister) and
his father (H D Devegowda) are speaking whatever that comes to their mind,
losing their (mental) balance. They are trying day and night to topple the
government with the (help of) Congress," the chief minister alleged.
Prior to the cabinet meeting, Yeddyurappa went to Raj Bhavan and briefed Governor
Rameshwar Thakur on the law and order situation and the steps taken by the
government to maintain communal harmony and peace.
Yeddyurappa said that five persons have been taken into custody for indulging
in conversion activity after an attack on a Christian prayer hall near Siddapura
in Kodagu district on Sunday.
He said one Sunil George and his associates were instigating for conversion,
and cassettes and literature used for it had been seized. Locals there protested
and engaged in stone-throwing, he said.
On the attack on a church near Hebbal here, Yeddyurappa said police investigation
has revealed that it's a case of theft and steps were being taken.
Referring to an incident of an attack on a mosque at Sagar in Shimoga district,
Yeddyurappa said three persons, including the son of a former Congress councillor
there, had been taken into custody. They were given Rs 15 lakh by one Ravi
to target the place of worship, while another serving councillor also instigated,
he said.
The CM said order had been issued to book all those involved in attacks on
places of worship under the Goondas Act.
