The recent daylight murder of Hindu activist Suhas Shetty in Mangaluru has brought about harsh reactions, especially from the Karnataka BJP.
BJP State President B. Y. Vijayendra blamed the Congress government for pushing the state towards a Kashmiri situation, citing the rise in attacks and murders of Hindus in the state. He also expressed alarm at the increasing violence, stating, "The memories of the massacre of Hindus in Kashmir are still fresh, and now this murder is adding to the sense of insecurity among the people."
Vijayendra also urged Governor Thawarchand Gehlot to take cognizance of what he termed an increase in lawlessness in the state at once. He criticized the attack and demanded a thorough investigation into whether there was a breakdown of the intelligence network or a lapse on the part of the law enforcement agencies. He once again emphasized the requirement of justice, questioning what sort of society is this where such killings in public places take place in broad daylight.
Ex-Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa also condemned the killing as the most horrific and an evidence of deteriorating law and order in Karnataka. He emphasized that the killers, who used swords and machetes on Shetty, displayed absolute disrespect for the law. Yediyurappa appealed to the state government to immediately arrest the perpetrators, sympathizing with Shetty's family and wishing a speedy recovery of another Hindu activist wounded during the attack.
Shetty, a prominent Bajrang Dal activist, was also implicated in the 2022 murder of Mohammad Fazil, who was murdered in retaliation for the hacking of BJP worker Praveen Kumar Nettaru during the hijab controversy. The cycle of hate violence and communal animosity continues to surround some areas of Karnataka, which heightens concerns about the political and social stability of the state.
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