Coastal Karnataka majority community bears the brunt of Congress’ return in power.

With the resignation of BJP’s CM BS Yedyurappa in Karnataka, JD(S) and Congress alliance forming the next government is almost a near possibility. Karnataka gave a fractured mandate. The BJP, despite being the single largest party, still fell eight short of the majority mark. Congress is all set to come to power by forming the post-poll alliance with JD(S) despite the fact that the mandate was against the Congress. Congress lost 45 seats compared to the last elections. JD(S) got two seats less than it got last time. It has won all the seats where it fought against the Congress. JD(S) fought the election principally against the Congress. The alliance of Congress-JD(S) is tantamount to violating the mandate of the Karnataka voters which was overwhelmingly against the Congress. As soon as BS Yeddyurappa announced his resignation, majority community in coastal Karnataka became a target of violence perpetrated by the workers of new coalition party for supporting and voting for BJP. BJP won 19 seats in coastal Karnataka.

There is a growing sense of animosity against those who voted for the BJP. Coastal Karnataka is the region where radical elements had the free hand.  Coastal Karnataka witnesses communal clashes very often. Last year in December, 50 people suffered serious injuries in a communal clash in a town of coastal Karnataka. 

To get relief and to get rid of the communal Congress government, the majority community voted for the BJP en-masse. But Congress is all set to return to power. In a victory procession taken out by Congress-JD(S) party workers, provocative slogans were raised against the BJP, majority community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Party President Amit Shah and BJP state leader Yeddyurappa. Slogans raised by JD(S)-Congress party workers against the majority were so much abusive and provocative that it forced BJP workers to retort which resulted in clashes in which two people suffered injuries and are being treated to a near-by village hospital. Violence against Hindus in Karnataka is nothing new. In fact, those who commit violence against Hindus, ex-CM Siddaramaiah used to withdraw cases against them. In 2015, Siddaramaiah had withdrawn criminal cases against 1600 PFI and KFD (another radical group) activists. Before the elections, his government announced the withdrawal of communal cases on Muslims. 

Congress-JD(S) has been indulging in creating turmoil in the state since the Yeddyurappa has stepped down. Pro-Pakistan slogans were raised to celebrate the defeat of the BJP near the Congress office in Mangaluru city by a boy belonging to minority community. It has been learned that former MLA, R Lobo and few Congress leaders including Padmanabha Amin, former corporator of the Mangaluru City Corporation, were present at these celebrations but remained a mute spectator. 

According to Swarajya, at Mangalampadu village in Vitla unidentified persons suspected to be workers of a political party belonging to a particular community attacked a family belonging to the majority community. Two women and three men suffered injuries in the attack. This violence happened during victory procession taken out by Congress-JD(S) workers, who, however, claimed a different picture of family members suffering injury when the police started to disperse the unruly crowd.

All these rallies, victory procession, bike rallies and the violence are being carried out when the city and district are under prohibitory orders for three days starting from May 19.   Mangaluru MP Nalin Kumar said, “The risk factor has doubled now as both JD(S) and Congress goons have joined forces against the majority community. But if the police do not take action, we will not sit quiet.”