BJP holds massive Ganesha rally in Maddur to protest stone-pelting incident

Mandya: The BJP on Wednesday took out a massive Lord Ganesha rally in Maddur town in Mandya district in an apparent show of strength and protest against the pelting of stones on idol immersion procession on September 7 leading to a riot.

The party organised the immersion of a decorated gigantic Ganesha idol atop a decked-up open truck which passed through the heart of the city.

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra, the Leader of the Opposition Party (LOP) in the Assembly R Ashoka and the LOP in the council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, sitting MLAs and former ministers along with hundreds of party workers and Hindutva activists took part.

Also Read

Guilty will not be spared: Karnataka minister on Maddur communal violence

The rally passed through Pete Street in Maddur where the stone pelting had happened on Sunday.

Addressing the gathering, Vijayendra demanded that the Maddur incident must be subjected to a judicial inquiry so that police failures and lapses come to light.

He criticised Mandya District In Charge Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy for his ‘objectionable’ comments and also took strong exception to the chief minister’s remark that the BJP was trying to disturb communal harmony.

“When stones were stockpiled inside a mosque and conspiracies were being hatched, they (government) should have woken up then. Now they are accusing us and targeting Hindus. Whether the chief minister calls it politics or anything else, we will do our duty,” he stated.

He said the government should invoke the Goonda Act against those anti-national elements who stockpiled stones inside the mosque and unleashed violence.

Accusing the police of negligence, Vijayendra said the violence was the direct result of their failure to take preventive steps.

The BJP state president demanded that the chief minister and the home minister should visit Maddur.

He told Hindu activists not to fear, pointing out that even JD(S) leaders had joined hands in support.

Ashoka blamed the vote bank politics of the Congress government and said there was a communal flare-up in Maddur.

The procession ended after the immersion of many Ganesha idols in the Shimsha river, which is a tributary of Cauvery river.

Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News, Technology, Entertainment, Sports, Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS.