Attack gives BJP, JD(S) ammo to flay Congress

BENGALURU: It is not the best of times for the ruling Congress and home minister B Ramalinga Reddy. The buzz around the alleged attack by Mohammed Nalpad Haris, Congress youth wing general secretary and son of Shanthinagar MLA N A Haris, on a man at UB City was just dying out when this attack — on Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty no less — has come to embarrass the government.
The timing could not have been worse for the ruling party with assembly elections around the corner and the BJP launching its 14-day 'Protect Bengaluru' march. The opposition party is exhorting voters to save the city from Congress ‘misrule and goondaraj’.

The attack on the Lokayukta has provided more political ammunition to the opposition parties. The JD(S) has joined the BJP in attacking the Siddaramaiah government, citing failure of law and order. They have sought Reddy’s resignation for his failure on maintaining law and order in Bengaluru.

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda slammed the government saying, “The Lokayukta institution has already been killed by the government. What is the meaning of this attack? In which state are we? Are we in goondaraj? Where is law & order in Karnataka?"

BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya took to Twitter to condemn the incident. “No one is safe in Congress ruled Karnataka, no one. Even the Lokayukta can be stabbed in broad daylight and the administration just looks on... @siddaramaiah should be ashamed of presiding over a nonexistent government!" he tweeted.

BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa reacted on similar lines. “The horrific incident deserves to be condemned,” he said. “This is a proof of the existence of goondaraj and the deterioration of law and order in the state. I am appalled and strongly condemn the ghastly attack on Lokayukta.”

However, Siddaramaiah and Reddy moved quickly to contain the fallout. They visited Justice Shetty at Mallya Hospital and spent some time there. “This is a very sad incident,” Reddy admitted later while countering allegations of the opposition parties. “We need to know the intention behind the incident. We have ordered a thorough probe. The metal detector at the Lokyukta's office has been defunct and it could be the reason why Tejraj Sharma was allowed to sneak a knife in.”