‘BJP doing politics over Belagavi incident’: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Belagavi (Karnataka) [India], December 16 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for politicising the Belagavi incident, wherein a woman was stripped naked and assaulted after being tied to an electric pole early this week in Karnataka's Belagavi district.
"JP Nadda and the BJP are doing politics over this issue. Atrocities did happen to that woman. Whatever legal action needed to be taken has been taken by the government. Our home minister met the victim. The accused was arrested immediately," said the Chief Minister.
"Just open the National Crime Bureau once you know how many cases happened during their tenure. Do you know the one who was jailed yesterday (in UP) is a BJP MLA? What did he do? He raped a 9-year-old girl. We will take strict action against culprits and they will be punished," questioned the Karnataka CM.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar also reacted to the matter and said that the BJP was trying to do politics on the incident in spite of the state government taking action against the culprits.
Replying to reporters' query at the 'Excon 2023', he said, "The Home Minister, Women and Child Welfare Minister, and District In-Charge Minister have taken necessary action regarding this incident and yet the BJP is trying to exploit it politically. Our government is committed to protecting women in the state. Strict legal action will be initiated against the culprits."
Taking to his social media handle X, the Chief Minister posted, "Despite the Karnataka High Court's restrictions, the BJP leaders have visited the victimised woman who was partially stripped in a village in Belagavi district, thus not only flouting the court's directive but also displaying their insensitivity."
"The Chief Justice of the High Court, while suo-motu taking cognisance of the incident, had suggested this morning that visits to the traumatised woman, who is severely distressed, should be restricted," he added.
"Considering that the woman is receiving medical treatment, visitors' interactions could impact her health and treatment. Therefore, the High Court stated that it is necessary to restrict visits to the woman for her well-being," he posted further.
"The High Court had ordered that no individual, group, organisation, political party, or others should visit the woman without prior written permission from the chief medical officer of the hospital responsible for her treatment," he said.
Despite this, the BJP leaders, in a move to use a tragic incident for political gain, have visited the victimised woman in the name of 'truth-seeking'.
"It shows their blatant disregard for the court's orders and instructions. The insensitivity and lack of respect shown by BJP leaders and their national president, J. P Nadda, who is supporting this behaviour, must be condemned by everyone," stated the post.
Earlier in the day, BJP MP and member of the fact-finding team, Aprajita Sarangi, said, "It's extremely unfortunate that the entire Gandhi family is keeping mum on this incident. Neither Sonia Gandhi nor Priyanka Gandhi, being women, have said anything. As far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, he is a veteran as far as diverting topics are concerned. We are talking of a victim woman who has been brutally assaulted and paraded naked. This is an extreme form of inhumanity. And even at this juncture, the entire Gandhi family chooses to keep mum."
Earlier, the five-member BJP fact-finding team, comprising Aparajita Sarangi, Sunita Duggal, Ranjeeta Koli, Locket Chatterjee and BJP national secretary Asha Lakra, met with the victim's family on Saturday.
A 42-year-old woman was stripped naked, paraded, and assaulted after being tied to an electric pole early on Monday in Karnataka's Belagavi district after her son eloped with a woman, police said, adding that they had arrested seven people in connection with the incident. (ANI)