Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday defended the Mangaluru Police for firing upon anti-Citizenship law protestors, PTI reported. Two people were killed in the police firing on December 19.
“Police resorted to firing when mob tried to storm the police station and steal arms,” the chief minister told reporters at his Bengaluru residence. “When the mob tried to disturb peace and indulge in arson and looting, should the police keep quiet? Are police not duty-bound to protect the innocents and property.”
Earlier in the day, Yediyurappa announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the two people who died – Abdul Jaleel and Noushin Kudroli.
The leader criticised former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s comments and said he should know about the facts about the incident. Kumaraswamy said the protestors had “assembled for a protest and not war”.
Reacting to this, Yediyurappa said: “They [Opposition leaders] are trying to whip up the emotions of the innocent minorities. Doesn’t he [Kumaraswamy] know that violating prohibitory orders is a war against the Constitution and the law?”
The chief minister also defended the National Register of Citizens and the amended Citizenship Act. “My appeal to the people is that CAA and NRC are nationalistic laws and they will not cause harm to any Indian,” he said. “CAA and NRC are in tune with the Constitution and its secular values.”
The Citizenship Amendment Act aims to provide Indian citizenship to people from six persecuted minority religious communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, except Muslims, as long as people from these communities have entered India on or before December 31, 2014.
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