As the much-anticipated inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya approaches, set for 22 January 2024, the Congress government in Karnataka has taken a controversial step by initiating investigations against activists associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement from thirty years ago in 1992.
These activists are alleged to have been involved in property damage and other offenses during the movement, and they are now being treated as suspects in an investigation that has placed them under court supervision.
A report by IANS reveals that the Karnataka police department has assembled a specialized team to compile a list of individuals linked to incidents during the 1992 Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
In a notable development, Srikanth Poojari has been taken into custody by the Hubballi police for his alleged involvement in the torching of a store owned by a member of the minority community on December 5, 1992.
Poojari, the third defendant in the case, is now under court custody, while the police actively seek eight more defendants related to the incident.
Furthermore, the police have identified 300 additional suspects allegedly connected to communal conflicts between 1992 and 1996. These individuals, now in their early or late 70s, with some reportedly having left the city, are under scrutiny.
Notably, several of these suspects hold prominent positions, prompting the police to weigh the potential consequences of filing lawsuits against them. It is believed that the Congress government has directed the police department to conduct a thorough investigation into these case.
Many members of the Ram Janma Bhoomi movement have transitioned into well-known BJP politicians, and reports suggest that cases against them were dismissed during the BJP’s rule.
The reopening of these cases raising questions about the timing of such actions the move and also coincides with the crucial stage of the Modi government’s announcement of the inauguration on January 22, 2024.
The BJP accused the Congress-led Karnataka government of singling out Hindu activists following the arrest of an individual allegedly involved in the 1992 post-Babri Masjid demolition riots. The BJP described the arrest as a “persecution of Hindus.”
In a statement posted on X, the BJP stated, “The Congress government in Karnataka is disgracefully targeting Hindu activists, apprehending elderly Karsevak Shri Shrikanth Poojari in a 31-year-old fabricated case. While Hindus commemorate the Ram Mandir, the Congress’s actions indicate their reluctance to acknowledge the reality of the Ram Mandir. This persecution of Hindus is strongly condemned.”
Congress in Karnataka shamefully targets Hindu activists, arresting elderly Karsevak Shri Shrikanth Poojari in a 31-year-old fake case.
As Hindus celebrate the Ram Mandir, Congress's cowardly move reflects their refusal to accept the reality of the Ram Mandir.
This witchhunt… https://t.co/uJcFf9gx9a
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) January 2, 2024
On the other hand, The News Minute (TNM), a leftist-Dravidainist propaganda outlet has trivialized the arrest and targeting of Ram Janmabhoomi activists with an article titled “Ram Mandir activists not being targeted, arrested in Karnataka says state govt”. The outlet has only carried the government’s claims in what is seen as an attempt to buttress them.
Citing “sources” in the Chief Minister’s office, TNM said “It was a routine round-up in an attempt to close long pending cases”.
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