Bangalore Violence: “SDPI Members Went To Calm People Down, Now Being Made Scapegoats”, Says Party

The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has denied any role in the violence that occurred in the northeast part of Bangalore on Tuesday night, saying that the party is being made into a scapegoat in the entire incident.

The party leadership blamed the police for refusing to act quickly on a complaint by community members over a derogatory social media post made by Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s nephew that spoke disparagingly of the Prophet Muhammad.

“People had approached the police to lodge a complaint against the MLA’s nephew Naveen who has been repeatedly making offensive comments against the Prophet and the religion. But the police neither booked a case nor arrested Naveen till late night and the crowd turned aggressive, SDPI Karnataka president Elyas Muhammad Thumbe said. “The violence shouldn’t have happened, it is wrong but it did and the only reason for that is the inefficiency of the police and Naveen’s derogatory post against the Prophet.”

Commenting on the arrest of SDPI leader Muzammil Pasha in connection with the violence, Thumbe said that he had gone to file a complaint against Naveen, and in the videos that have gone viral, Pasha is seen appealing to people to maintain peace.

“Our member Muzammil Pasha was with the police, trying to pacify the crowd. He was appealing people not to resort to violence and not take law in the hands, but now he is being accused of inciting the mob. As always, SDPI is being dragged just to cover-up police inaction against blasphemy and failure of intelligence,” Thumbe said in a video statement.

Violence broke out in Bangalore’s Kaval Byrasandra and DJ Halli, KG Hali areas on Tuesday night and three people were killed in police firing after a derogatory post against the Prophet Muhammad was posted on Facebook by Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasa Murthy’s nephew, P Naveen. More than 140 people have been arrested so far arson and assault.