Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Karnataka HD Kumaraswamy visited Nagamangala in Mandya district on Friday after a recent incident of stone pelting at a Ganapati procession, which led to violence in the area on September 11.
Taking stock of the situation, Kumaraswamy stated that the situation was under control, but he did not expect this kind of disturbance to occur. He expressed his disappointment, saying, “Now the situation is under control. But I had not expected that this kind of disturbance would happen… It is really a painful incident.”
Kumaraswamy emphasized his vision for communities to live together in harmony, stating, “Communities should live as brothers and sisters–that is my vision.” He wanted to assess the ground reality by visiting the place and collecting information to address the situation.
The Union Minister applauded the work done by the Superintendent of Police and the District Administration in controlling the situation, stating that it would be unnecessary to blame anyone. “SP and District Administration have done good work, I don’t want to unnecessarily blame anyone. Because of their intervention and immediate action, things were controlled,” he said.
On Thursday, Kumaraswamy criticized the Congress government in Karnataka for the communal tension in Mandya, stating that its “inefficiency” and protection of only “one section of society” were leading to such incidents. He emphasized that the government has a responsibility to look after all communities equally.
According to Mandya District Collector Kumar, 54 people have been arrested in relation to the incident. He stated that the situation is under control, and sufficient force has been deployed along with precautionary measures. Schools and colleges were declared closed for the day.
The Mandya Police reported that seven bikes and six small shops were burnt, and a total of 15 bikes and a car were slightly damaged during the incident.
