The city of Bengaluru witnessed riots in August 2020. A Fact Finding Committee consisting of prominent citizens under ‘Citizens for Democracy’ prepared a fact finding report that was handed over to the Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on 4 September 2020. Here are some excerpts from the report and the full text of the report has also been made available here.
Excerpts:
“On the 11th of August, 2020, a group of about 15 to 20 Muslim youth
gathered outside Pulikeshi Nagar Congress MLA R Akhanda
Srinivasamurthy’s house in Kaval Bhyrasandra in Bengaluru to protest
against the derogatory post put by Naveen Kumar, nephew of Local MLA. SDPI
members like Muzammil Pasha, Fairoz etc went to the Police Station to lodge
a complaint against Naveen Kumar for the said post. Despite assurance from
the Police that action would be taken against him, the crowd swelled to about
3000 in a short span of time and attacked the residence of MLA Akhand
Srnivas Murthy, P Naveen Kumar, K G Halli Police Station and D.J. Halli
Police Station simultaneously. Apart from the above, they attacked several
other Hindu homes, torched Police and private vehicles, pelted stones at
windows and attacked property with rods, machetes and other weapons. The
planning was made in such a manner that the Police was forced to use tear
gas and open fire at this unruly mob.
It is estimated that nearly 36 Government vehicles, nearly 300 private
vehicles and many houses were destroyed. The damage could be estimated to
be nearly Rs 10-15 crores.
The Committee after visiting the riot affected area, interacting with
several victims, police and prominent people and after perusing available
evidence have inferred the following.
a. That the riots were pre-planned and organised.
b. The mob has specifically targeted certain prominent Hindus in the area.
c. That the entire incident qualifies to be a riot against the state with the
motive of reducing the faith of common people in the State.
d. It could be seen from the FIRs and certain interactions with the victims,
that Local people were also involved in carrying out this riot. The
committee is of the opinion that the locals were not only involved in
execution but were also aware about it in advance.
e. Despite attempts being made to project the same as political rivalry, it
was undoubtedly communally motivated. The Committee is of the
opinion that based on the kind of houses that have been attacked and
people who have been targeted, the motive of the riots could also be fear
mongering so as to change the demography and turn the area into a
Muslim majority one.
f. The Committee is of the opinion that SDPI and PFI are involved in
planning and execution of this incident.
For full text of the report please click below:
