Nadda Accuses CM Siddaramaiah Of 'Diluting' Neha Hiremath Murder Case

BJP National President J P Nadda on Sunday accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara of "influencing and diluting" the investigation into the murder of MCA student Neha Hiremath, which rocked the twin-city of Hubballi-Dharwad four days ago.

Neha, the daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death by her former classmate Fayaz Khondunaik on the campus of BVB College on April 18.

Photo Credit: PTI

As communal allegations were made, Siddaramaiah clarified that personal reasons were behind the murder while Parameshwara said there was no "love jihad" angle as alleged by the BJP.

“Look at the statements of Siddaramaiah and Parameshwara. Some say it’s a normal incident, others call it an accident. You want to influence and dilute the investigation. You don’t have the courage to call a spade a spade due to your appeasement politics,” Nadda alleged, addressing a public meeting here in Hubballi.

Accusing the Congress government of encouraging anti-national activities, he wondered whether the people ever imagined that pro-Pakistan slogans would be raised in the corridors of Vidhana Soudha -- a case that's under investigation and has not been proved.

“Aren’t Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar and Rahul Gandhi ashamed when they say they will conduct an inquiry and do not trust the (private lab's) forensic report (on alleged Pro-Pak slogans)?” Nadda asked.

The BJP president alleged that due to the "appeasement politics", Congress leaders were shy of even condemning "anti-national" incidents.

He alleged that Karnataka is sitting on a bomb, referring to the March 1 blast in Rameshwaram Café that injured 10 people.

“You (people) installed the Congress government in the state. Now you have realised that there is a tax on temples. Did you ever imagine this will happen? Did you ever think that people singing Hanuman Chalisa will be beaten up?," he asked referring to certain allegations.

"Karnataka that was peaceful is now sitting on a bomb? Do you know that Congress is supporter and sympathiser of PFI and SDPI?," Nadda asked, making allegations.

He also took a dig at Congress’s Bengaluru Rural candidate D K Suresh, who is the brother of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, for his alleged statement that southern states should get separate nationhood.