A large and angry Muslim mob went on a rampage in Bengaluru late in the evening on 11 August after taking offence to a Facebook comment by the nephew of a local Dalit Congress MLA.
The rioters attacked and attempted to set on fire the residence of Congress MLA Akhand Srinivasa Murthy, a Dalit leader in the nearby DJ Halli police station. The mob also damaged many houses and there was stone pelting that left many policemen including a senior IPS officer injured. Also, many police vehicles were torched by the uncontrolled mob.
This article is an attempt to place the context in which the event has happened.
The Geography and Demography
Pulakeshinagar (SC reserved) is a State Assembly/Vidhana Sabha constituency in the Bengaluru Urban district and Bengaluru region of Karnataka and is a part of the Bangalore North Parliamentary/Lok Sabha constituency. There are around 2.5 lakh voters and the average literacy rate is 86%
Akhanda Srinivas Murthy is the MLA from this constituency who got elected in 2018 elections on a Congress ticket. He stays at Kaval Bhyrasanda house, which is one of the wards.
No. of wards in the Vidhana Sabha constituency : 7 BBMP Corporator list
1. Kushal Nagar– Umme Salma
2. Kaval Byrasandra : Corporator – Nethra Narayan
3. Devara Jeevanahalli (DJ Halli) – R Sampath Raj
4. Muneshwara Nagar Syed Sazida
5. Sagayapuram Elumalai
6. S K Garden : Mohd Zameer Shah
7. Pulakeshinagar : Abdul Rakeeb Zakir
The Story
On 11th August 2020 at 8 PM, Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy received a call from his home. Around 500 Muslims with petrol bombs, tyres had barged into the house of the MLA, burnt and vandalised the home. The Hindu prayer room in the house was sledged with the photos of the Hindu Gods broken. The MLA had also said to media that there was a plan to set the gas cylinder on fire just when the police had arrived and averted it. Money which was at home was also supposedly stolen or set afire.
The Muslim mob had unleashed this violence over a Facebook meme on Prophet Muhammad posted by Naveen who is Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s nephew (sister’s son). This mob did not just stop at the MLA’s home. The mob went about vandalising police vehicle, police station and public property. At the Devara Jeevanahalli police station, DCP’s vehicle was set on fire and many two wheelers and autos have also been burnt. Many other cars were toppled and set ablaze. Few media reporters who were at the scene were also manhandled and were admitted to hospitals.
Police Action
Police say that the narrow lanes accommodated more than 3000-4000 thousand rioters which made it difficult initially to curb the situation. Authorities immediately imposed Section 144 to take control of the situation. Eventually police opened fire as the last resort to scramble the violent mob. The resulting chaos led to the killing of three and injuring several others.
More than 60 police personnel have been injured while performing duty. Panic and fear prevailed among people belonging to minority (Hindu) community in the area under attack. The fire engine was called to the house by the neighbourhood but the Muslim mob had stopped the fire engines and vandalized them too.
Initial Reports
According to initial information gathered from different sources, a group of Muslim youth, agitated over the FB Post first approached the SDPI leaders and not the cybercrime branch.
It is reported that the SDPI leaders and the local youth were successful in mobilizing a huge mob of around 3000-4000 rioters in quick time and unleashed the violence. The sources have said that SDPI leaders were on the ground and in the name of pacifying their brethren were inciting the mob. There have been a plethora of Muslims who have shared the posts on social media to gather at Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s house.
What do the locals say?
Local residents say they have never before seen a violence of this magnitude. The locals also informed the media that innocent people were physically assaulted on roads creating a war like situation. Naveen and his family who stay next to Srinivasa Murthy’s house had to flee away to escape being ‘chopped off’ one eye witness reportedly said. The damage was made at Naveen’s house and the Muslim fanatic mob had apparently robbed money from his home too. Naveen according to locals was a budding politician who was aspiring to become a councillor. He was always around Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy and other Congress leaders it is said.
The enmity could have broken when Naveen had celebrated bursting crackers on Aug 5th after Bhoomi Poojan at Ayodhya one person has said to the media.
The “Human Chain”
A video has gone viral where some Muslims have gathered around a temple and forming a human chain. The image it creates is that there are some “good Muslims” to take care of Hindus and their properties. However the video seems to be made for the benefit to attract the eyes where there is a person who says “jaldi upload kar” implying to state it was done as a mere eyewash.
Government Action
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai instructed the police to take control of situation. A probe has been ordered by the Government.
The latest report says that close to 110 culprits who rioted have been arrested. Muzammil Pasha, Dist Secy of SDPI, the alleged kingpin behind the violence has been arrested. Also Ayaz a volunteer with SDPI is said to have been arrested, Khalim Pasha (husband of Corporator), Syed Ansar are all arrested.
There are reports that Muslims from various localities of Bengaluru including the infamous Padarayanapura (anothera Muslim dominated area in Bengaluru that had had harassed Asha workers during the initial days of the pandemic) have been mobilised to reach Kaval Bairasandra. There are reports in the media that Muslims from various places of the state have been aggregated to meet up for this riot. CCTV reports show the distribution of money for the riot to take place.
"Upload kar Jaldi" !!!!!!
Reality of human chain in 3 words!!!!pic.twitter.com/GtchOH3yY8
— Seema Choudhary (@Seems3r) August 12, 2020
Politics
The fight for the upcoming BBMP elections and to prove the might of SDPI is also said to be one of their motives for them carrying out the violence. In the past SDPI has always tried to field their candidates but have been in vain.
Speaking to the media, former minister and Muslim leader U T Khader put the blame on Government for failure of law and order avoiding to comment on hooligans who wreaked havoc.
Ministers R. Ashok and Basavaraj Bommai assured the people that those involved in violence will not be spared and those behind the screen will also be exposed and brought to books.
In his presser, Akhanda SrinivasaMurthy has requested to provide him and his family security as he sees a threat, however talking diplomatically he has termed Muslims as “miscreants” and he is unaware of why the mob attacked him. He is said to have disowned Naveen and his facebook post and asked for strict action on him.
None of the Congress leaders have called out the perpetrators and are playing their usual card – minority appeasement.
Here are some examples:
KPCC chief DK Shivakumar in his presser said that Naveen was a BJP person, while the truth is that Naveen is with Congress and has shared his posts many times about Congress and its leaders.
One next to Rahul Gandhi is Akhanda Srinivas Murthy. His nephew Naveen is also seen.
It was Naveen who had commented a ‘hate’ post about Prophet Mohammad on FB. It is said that Naveen had commented in response to another post that denigrated Hindu Gods.
SDPI and PFI
Organisations like KFD and PFI have been associated with SDPI for quite some time now. During 2013 to 2018, when Karnataka was ruled under Siddaramaiah, these organisations have grown to a mighty stature. Siddaramaiah’s Tipu Jayanti plan was also to appease these fringe elements. Kodagu, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Bengaluru saw the wrath of this organisation growing. Tipu Jayanti in the first year took the life of Kuttappa a VHP volunteer. It was said that the Muslims from Kerala had arrived then to execute the riots here.
Siddaramaiah despite opposition, had freed up 1500 SDPI/KFD/PFI workers who were chargesheeted terming them as petty cases. During the same rule 26 Hindu Karyakatas belonging to the Sangh were killed and most of them have SDPI’s names behind the crime.
It is interesting to know that in 2013, Srinivasa Murthy won Pulakeshinagar on a JD(S) ticket. SDPI had fielded Hemalatha as their candidate. Congress had lost the elections. This time around (2018) Srinivasa Murthy contested on Congress ticket and SDPI had not fielded any candidate. Either power or money seems to be the idea behind SDPI contesting elections.