The Congress-led government of Karnataka has decided to drop criminal charges against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Mohammed Arif, along with 138 others, who are accused of leading a mob that attacked the police and threatened to break into the police. at the station.
They were also accused of inciting violence during the Hubballi violence in April 2022.
The charges against them include criminal charges such as attempted murder and rioting, which have been dismissed despite opposition from prosecutors, the police and the justice department.
In October 2023, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had written to the Additional Director General of Police to withdraw the charges and re-examine the cases. Following Shivakumar’s recommendation, the home department has been tasked with collecting details of relevant cases, including the FIR and witness statements.
The withdrawal of the case drew strong criticism from the opposition, with the BJP accusing the Congress of trying to appease Muslims.
BJP MLC N Ravikumar said: “The Cong government is doing politics of appeasement. It is supporting terrorists and withdrawing cases against them. While cases against farmers and students are pending, the cases against India will be withdrawn.”
THE HUBBALLI RIOTS
The unrest in question began on April 16, 2022, following the posting of an offensive photo on social media depicting a saffron flag over a mosque. This sparked anger among the Muslim community, leading to a massive protest outside the Old Hubballi police station.
What started as a protest quickly turned into violence, as thousands of people are reported to have joined the riots that resulted in the injury of four police officers and extensive damage to public property.
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