The Muslim mob violence in Bengaluru, which has injured more than 60 police personnel and killed three rioters in the police firing, has exposed the Congress Party, the main opposition party in the state as most of the party leaders of the state Congress leaders have embraced silence failing to condemn the incident despite the fact that the Muslim mobs had attacked one of its own MLAs.
The reason behind the silence of the Congress party to condemn the incident is because the radical Islamist organisation – Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), which is accused of orchestrating riots, is in a direct fight with the Congress over minority votes.
The SDPI which has some presence in Karnataka has contested in the elections against the Congress in the past and has now emerged as a competitor for the Congress party in a number of assembly seats. Due to its radical Islamic ideology, the SDPI has managed to gain some popularity, threatening Congress’s earlier hold over the Muslim votes. The fringer parties such as SDPI have managed to influence Muslim voters, taking a chunk of traditional Muslim votes from the Congress party.
The Congress, which has been put in a tough situation, seems to be still comprehending to react as if it condemns the violence unleashed by the Muslim mob, it fears a backlash and might end up in helping the SDPI which is already closing in on minority votes. If it does not condemn, the majority community might move further away from the Congress.
Hence, most of the Congress leaders have chosen to remain silent. State Congress leaders like Siddaramaiah and dozens of other leaders have not reacted to the incident since last night. Meanwhile, leaders like DK Shivakumar, Dinesh Gundurao and Priyank Kharge have so far tweeted doing a balancing act by holding blame both on the person who allegedly posted a derogatory post and also the Muslim mob.
I condemn the violence that has happened in Bengaluru. No one must take law into their own hands.
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) August 12, 2020
The Government must take strict and exemplary action against the person who made the derogatory social media post as well as those who indulged in rioting and arson. pic.twitter.com/Adhl152LPt
The leaders of the Congress party are not ready to speak up against SDPI’s communal politics and have maintained a tight-lip over the entire issue.
SDPI behind violence in Bengaluru
The Bengaluru police have arrested SDPI local leader Muzammil Pasha and booked two other leaders for instigating riots in Bengaluru. The SDPI local leader Muzammil Pasha had visited the police station along with the mob to register a complaint against a person named Naveen over the alleged derogatory Facebook post.
Reportedly, the arrested SDPI leader addressed the mob outside the police station and also joined the Muslim mob which protested outside the residence of the Congress MLA. The SDPI leader, along with two other SDPI leaders, Jaffar and Khaleel Pasha is said to have instigated the Muslim mob to pelt stones and torch vehicles near the police station.
