“Finance Minister Criticizes Karnataka Government for Belagavi Incident, Alleges Lack of ‘Nyay’ in Congress”
Expressing dissatisfaction with the measures taken by the government and state police, the Karnataka High Court strongly criticized their inability to prevent the incident. Consequently, the court instructed the state government to provide an additional status report.
On Friday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condemned the Congress-led government in Karnataka for permitting acts of violence against marginalized communities, specifically targeting Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). She pointed to the recent incident in Belagavi where a 42-year-old woman was reportedly assaulted and subjected to a humiliating public parade.
The alleged occurrence occurred on December 11 when the son of a woman eloped with a girl who was supposed to be engaged to someone else.
Sitharaman, in a post on X, criticized the Indian National Congress (INC) for not ensuring justice for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). She likened the incident in Belgavi, Karnataka, to the repeated atrocities against Dalits witnessed in Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, stating that, for the Congress party, the marginalized communities are merely seen as a vote bank.
Sitharaman’s post also included a detailed account of the shocking incident that took place on the night of December 10th and 11th, 2023, where a 42-year-old woman was reportedly stripped naked, paraded, and assaulted. This brutality occurred in Karnataka’s Belagavi district as a consequence of her son’s elopement with a girl. The note also highlighted the observations of the Karnataka High Court on the matter.
“The incident has raised serious concerns about the efficacy of law enforcement and the overall state of law and order in Karnataka,” stated a source. The Karnataka high court expressed dissatisfaction with the government and state police’s actions, criticizing their failure to prevent the incident. The court directed the state government to provide an additional status report on whether proper counseling was offered to the victim and why the remaining accused individuals have not been apprehended yet. Currently, eight individuals have been arrested, and a search is underway for another eight allegedly involved. Condemning the incident, the BJP’s national president, JP Nadda, has established a five-member fact-finding committee.”
Describing the incident as “shameful,” Nadda expressed concern over the recurring nature of such heinous crimes since the Congress assumed power in Karnataka. Simultaneously, the National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Karnataka government, asserting that the reported incident reflects a “stereotyped patriarchal approach,” constituting a blatant violation of the victim’s right to life and dignity.
On December 12, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara assured the assembly that stringent measures would be taken against those responsible for the alleged assault on a woman. The attackers reportedly stripped her, paraded her naked, and tied her to an electric pole in a village in Belagavi.
