Bengaluru / Ballari, January 3:
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday defended the Valmiki statue inauguration event in Ballari, asserting that the programme was conducted peacefully and in accordance with official permissions. Responding to criticism following violent clashes in the district, Shivakumar squarely blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for creating a charged atmosphere and disrupting law and order. He said the event was organised to honour Maharshi Valmiki and celebrate social harmony, but alleged that certain political forces attempted to provoke unrest for electoral and political gains.
The Congress leader further accused the BJP of politicising the incident and misleading the public instead of cooperating with the state government to maintain peace. Shivakumar stated that the Karnataka government is committed to strict action against anyone found responsible for violence, irrespective of political affiliation. He emphasised that maintaining law and order is a collective responsibility and urged opposition parties not to inflame tensions. The Deputy Chief Minister’s remarks come amid heightened political sparring in the state, with both ruling and opposition parties trading accusations over responsibility for the clashes, as authorities continue investigations and deploy additional security to restore normalcy in Ballari.
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