Congress asks Karnataka CM to fulfil his responsibility

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) The Congress today asked Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddyurappa to fulfil his constitutional responsibility of ensuring safety of the life and property of minorities in his state, and demanded a ban on the Bajrang Dal for its engagement in ''nefarious anti-national'' activities.

AICC Spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told mediapersons that violent incidents against minorities in Orissa and Karnataka ''were planned by the BJP High Command to create communal polarisation to spread hate to increase the base of its vote bank in the forthcoming elections to state assemblies and the Lok Sabha.'' Since this was the agenda of the BJP, its recent National Executive had talked about nationalising the Amarnath Yatra and had not uttered a word of condemnation against continuing violence against minorities in Orissa and fresh attacks in Mangalore and other parts of Karnataka under the BJP regime, she said.

''We strongly condemn the terrible violence that has overtaken Karnataka," she said, while alleging that the BJP government and the Chief Minister were watching as silent spectators.'' She charged the Chief Minister with inciting further violence by talking about coversions, instead of applying healing touch and providing protection to minorities.

''There is a reign of terror in Karnataka," Ms Natarajan complained, and alleged that the police personnel were also ''aggressively attacking'' the minorities, "probably under instructions from the state government." UNI SH PK RAI2002