Former Karnataka CM Claims No Law and Order Situation Following Hubballi Murder

Basavaraj Bommai, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, has claimed that there is no law and order situation in the state following the murder incident in Hubballi in 2024. The incident involved the alleged killing of Neha Hiremath, the daughter of a Congress councillor, by a 23-year-old named Fayaz inside a college campus.

The victim's family has been demanding the death penalty for Fayaz. Fayaz's father and mother have apologized to the victim's family and demanded strict punishment for their son, acknowledging his mistake. The police suspect that the motive was Neha's rejection of advances from Fayaz, her former classmate.

The issue has sparked widespread protests and a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP. The BJP has alleged a 'love jihad' angle, implying religious conversion through love, and accused the Congress government of poor law and order in the state. However, the current Congress Home Minister, G Parameshwara, denied that this was a case of 'Love Jihad', stating that people from both sides were involved in the incident.

Why this matters: The brutal murder of Neha Hiremath has attracted national attention and sparked outrage across Karnataka. The incident has exposed the deep political divide between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP, with both parties using the tragedy to further their own agendas.

The Karnataka BJP has announced statewide protests on Monday against the Congress government following the murder. BJP state president BY Vijayendra compared the situation in Karnataka to that in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and accused the Congress of having 'blood on its hands' due to 'extreme minority appeasement policies.' Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi also condemned the Congress government for the perceived deterioration of law and order.

In response, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has stated that the law and order situation in the state is good and the murder was due to personal reasons. The Congress has defended the state's law and order, accusing the BJP of attempting to impose Governor's rule in Karnataka.

Neha's father, Niranjan Hiremath, who is a Congress Corporator, admitted that the incident is a case of 'Love Jihad' and that such incidents are happening frequently in the state. He alleged that the accused had planned to trap his daughter and had been threatening her. Muslim organizations and trade bodies have decided to hold a voluntary bandh in Hubballi on Monday to condemn the killing and seek the highest punishment for the accused.

Key Takeaways

• Neha Hiremath, a Congress councillor's daughter, was allegedly killed by Fayaz in 2024.
• BJP alleges 'love jihad' angle, while Congress denies it, calling it a personal matter.
• Protests and political slugfest between Congress and BJP over the incident and law and order.
• Neha's father admits it's a 'love jihad' case, while Muslim groups call for a bandh.
• Former CM Bommai claims no law and order situation, but BJP accuses Congress of minority appeasement.