Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has quashed the Karnataka Government’s order withdrawing 43 criminal cases including the Hubballi Riot case. The state government had quashed 43 cases including those involving activists and politicians on October 10, 2024. Girish Bhardwaj had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the government’s action. Hearing this petition, a two-judge bench of the High Court comprising CJ NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind quashed the government’s order and issued an order on May 29. This has created another worry for the Siddaramaiah government.

When reporters questioned CM Siddaramaiah about this, he said that he did not know that the court had cancelled the government’s order and that he would speak about it after learning about it. On the other hand, C T Ravi responded and welcomed the court’s order. They bring in anti-communal forces. On the other hand, they give shelter to those who create communal conflicts. The communal virus has infected the cabinet. If a Hindu dies, a rowdy sheeter, if a non-Hindu dies, they feel sympathy.

Therefore, the court’s verdict is timely. The Udayagiri incident took place as a result of withdrawing the case. There is no sense that something should not be used for politics. Therefore, they attacked the state government for being reprimanded by the court.

During the PIL hearing, the court had said that if the action of the cabinet is illegal, it will not agree and will not allow the withdrawal of cases. The opposition BJP leaders had objected to the Siddaramaiah government’s decision to withdraw the old Hubballi riot case. They had also written to the President and the Prime Minister about the government’s move.

Following this, Siddaramaiah responded by saying that he had deliberately filed a case because there was a false case. If a case was filed during a protest, there is a possibility of withdrawing it. There are examples of cases being withdrawn in all times. They were withdrawn because there was a false case. We will withdraw the case only if the court allows it. We will inform the court of our cabinet’s decision.

On April 16, 2022, a young man had posted a controversial post. There was a riot in this regard and the agitated people pelted stones at the police and vehicles in front of the old Hubballi police station. 11 FIRs were registered in this regard and 155 cases were registered. More than 10 police vehicles were damaged in this incident and two police personnel were seriously injured. In September 2024, the DG-IG, who had written a letter to the SPs and Commissioners of all districts, had requested them to provide information about the cases of withdrawal of cases in your districts. Following this, a decision was taken in a cabinet meeting led by CM Siddaramaiah to withdraw the cases registered against those registered in the Hubballi riots. The opposition BJP expressed strong opposition to this. However, the government withdrew the cases and issued an order.