Amid row, govt defends withdrawal of 52 cases

THe mysore regime on fri defended its determination to take out 52 criminal cases from prosecution, including seven linked to the 2022 communal violence at Ladle Mushtaq Dargah in Kalaburagi district, saying the move followed a detailed legal and administrative review by a cabinet sub-committee.Home minister G Parameshwara said the cases were not dropped abruptly and had instead been examined individually after various organisations submitted representations to the government over several years.“Pro-Kannada organisations and farmers’ organisations had been giving representations on cases against them for several years now. The government referred it to a cabinet sub-committee, after discussing each case individually, the sub-committee felt these cases could be legally withdrawn,” Parameshwara told reporters in Bengaluru.The Siddaramaiah-led cabinet approved the withdrawal during its meeting on Thursday. According to the government, the cases involved members of pro-Kannada organisations, farmers’ groups, Dalit activists and others who had faced criminal proceedings in connection with protests and public agitations across the state.Among those expected to benefit from the decision is Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj, against whom 10 cases are set to be withdrawn. Vatal Nagaraj is a veteran Kannada activist and founder of the Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha, known for leading protests on issues related to Kannada language, regional identity and state rights.The government’s decision has, however, generated political controversy because it also includes seven cases linked to communal violence that took place in Aland town in Kalaburagi district in February 2022.The clashes were connected to tensions surrounding the Ladle Mushtaq Dargah, where a procession had gone to offer prayers to a Shivalinga located within the dargah premises. During the incident, stones were allegedly thrown at the procession as well as at vehicles belonging to police officers and public representatives, leading to unrest and violence in the area.Police subsequently registered multiple FIRs in connection with the clashes.Asked specifically why the government had decided to withdraw the cases related to the Aland violence, Parameshwara declined to discuss the details but maintained that the cabinet had considered all aspects before arriving at its decision. “I don’t want to speak in detail. The cabinet has decided to withdraw the cases,” he said.When reporters pointed out that police personnel had been attacked during the violence, the minister said the cabinet had taken that into account before approving the withdrawal. “The decision was made after considering all those facts; it was not made all of a sudden,” he said.According to cabinet documents, the withdrawn riot-related cases include charges such as rioting, attempt to murder, assault on police personnel and public servants, and damage to government property. The report said more than 100 accused persons were likely to benefit from the move. The decision to withdraw the cases followed a recommendation by Assembly Speaker UT Khader, according to the report.Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy questioned the legality and rationale of withdrawing cases that were already being heard in courts. “This is appeasement politics by Siddaramaiah. How can they withdraw cases that are currently in court?” he said.