ABVP cadre protest the murder of Neha Hiremath. Photo: X/ABVP/Screenshot
Student’s murder triggers political slugfest in Karnataka
While the Congress tried to project it as an incident from a personal angle, the BJP said the murder reflects the deterioration of law and order in the state
The murder of a Hindu woman, allegedly by her jilted Muslim lover, has led to an ugly political row in Karnataka, with the BJP holding noisy street protests and the Congress accusing it of trying to topple its government.
What has upset the Congress calculations is that the father of the victim is a Congress party corporator who has blamed “love jihad” for the gruesome killing.
Soured relationship
Neha Hiremath, 23, a first-year student of Master of Computer Applications in Hubbali, was allegedly stabbed seven times by a former student of the college, Fayaz Khondunaik, after she rejected his advances.
According to a police officer, Fayaz confessed that the two were in a relationship but she had been avoiding him of late.
Political slugfest
While the Congress tried to project it as an incident from a personal angle, the BJP said the murder reflects the deterioration of law and order in the state.
Union minister and the BJP’s Dharwad Lok Sabha candidate Pralhad Joshi suspected a love jihad angle behind the incident.
BJP vs Congress
Alleging “a complete deterioration of law and order” in Karnataka, he urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to stop minority appeasement politics.
Home minister G Parameshwara denied a "love jihad" angle.
Girl’s father speaks
But Niranjan Hiremath, a Congress corporator and the young woman’s anguished father, claimed that the accused had planned to "trap his daughter".
"The gang had conspired for a long time. They had planned either to trap or execute her. They have been threatening her in that backdrop. However, the girl had not heeded their threats," he told the media.
"The whole state and country witnessed what happened to my daughter. If they say that it is personal, what is personal in this? Are they my relatives?" he asked.
Shivakumar's defence
Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi launched a scathing attack on the Congress government in the state.
The Congress said Karnataka has the best law and order and that the BJP was trying to impose Governor's rule in Karnataka by citing "deteriorating" law-and-order situation.
"The BJP is trying to threaten us... Karnataka has the best law and order... They want to tell voters that they're going to impose Governor's rule,” deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said.
Students protest
Student activists allied to the BJP have also protested outside a police station in Hubballi shouting slogans.
Similar protests have erupted elsewhere, calling for severe punishment to the accused.
