BS Yeddyurappa has sent a warning to the state government that Karnataka will be up in flames if RSS strongman Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat is arrested. He was reacting to the reports of Bhat being arrested for a provocative speech against minorities.
Speaking at the protests organised in Mangaluru over the murder of RSS worker Sharath Madiwala, the former chief minister said the case against Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat should not be filed just because he attended the procession.
"If the government plans to set fire (to more trouble) by arresting Bhat, I warn you, that fire will spread to the rest of the state. Be warned, that is the scale in which our workers will hit the streets. If such developments happen that further deteriorate law and order, the state government will be directly responsible," News 18 quotes BS Yeddyurappa as saying.
The prohibitory orders under Section 144, which was imposed in Dakshina Kannada on 26 May, was lifted three days ago, following communal clashes and murders in the recent history. The murder of RSS-worker Sharat Madiwala stirred tensions between Hindus and Muslims and the stone-pelting incident during the deceased's funeral procession further deteriorated the situation in the region.
Speaking about the death, Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat allegedly made some inflammatory speech for which the Congress-goverment was planning to arrest him.
Who is Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat?
Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat is a powerful RSS functionary who has considerable control over the BJP in Dakshina Kannada. Many present-day BJP leaders from this region were groomed by him and the party seeks his advice on key issues and policies.
