Home Minister Araga Jnanendra holds meeting over Shivamogga’s clash

Shivamogga (Karnataka) [India], August 16 (ANI): Taking up the matter of recent clash in the state over portraits of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Tipu Sultan, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra held a meeting on Tuesday with the Additional Director General of Police Law and Order, Alok Kumar and other senior police officials in Shivamogga.
Jnanendra said that nobody should take the law into their hands at any cost.
"We do not decide anything on the basis of religion. Peace must prevail in the state and we have to maintain law and order here. We will hold a thorough investigation because such events should not happen here again and following this particular case, four people have been arrested so far," he added.
He took a dig at the leader of the Opposition of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah over his comment on 'Savarkar poster' by saying that he only loves vote and we love Savarakar. "What he knows about Savarkar," he said.
"Savarkar fought for the freedom of the country, so what is wrong with installing his poster and his family was jailed for twelve years," he said.
Earlier on August 15, the Karnataka Police imposed section 144 in parts of Shivamogga district after a poster of Veer Savarkar was installed at Ameer Ahmed circle on Independence Day.
It has been reported that a group of Tipu Sultan's followers tried to remove Savarkar's banner.
The situation remains tense after the incident and following this police did a lathi charge.
"Section 144 of the CrPC imposed for next three days after a group of Tipu Sultan followers tried to remove banners of VD Savarkar to install Tipu Sultan's banners in the Ameer Ahmad circle of the city," the police said.
Notably, in a similar case, The Karnataka Police have arrested three persons for allegedly tearing up images featuring images of freedom fighters put on display to celebrate the 75th Independence Day.
The arrests were made by the Halasuru Gate police station in Bengaluru where a case was filed on August 14 under the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act, 1971, and outraging of religious feelings (under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code or IPC) over the alleged vandalism of a flex board image of Tipu Sultan put up at Nripatunga Road in Hudson Circle installed as part of the Congress 'Freedom Walk' program on August 15. (ANI)