"Why does Congress prioritize vote bank protection over women's safety?:" Questions BJP national spokesperson on Hubballi incident

"Why does Congress prioritize vote bank protection over women's safety? This isn't the first time. When there was a blast at Rameshwaram Cafe, Congress was more concerned about vote banks, not public safety. When people were beaten for saying "Ram Ram" during Ram Navami, Congress stood with the vote bank. When "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans were raised, Congress stood with the vote bank. But from Bengal to Bengaluru, Congress leaders don't stand with women or with Neha," Poonawalla said.

After the daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was fatally stabbed, BJP leader and national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla issued a scathing critique of Congress's response on Monday. He accused Congress of focusing more on protecting their vote bank rather than addressing women's safety. "Why does Congress prioritize vote bank protection over women's safety? This isn't the first time. When there was a blast at Rameshwaram Cafe, Congress was more concerned about vote banks, not public safety. When people were beaten for saying "Ram Ram" during Ram Navami, Congress stood with the vote bank. When "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans were raised, Congress stood with the vote bank. But from Bengal to Bengaluru, Congress leaders don't stand with women or with Neha," Poonawalla said.

Neha (23), the daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death on the campus of BVB College on Thursday. The accused, Fayaz Khondunaik, who fled the scene, was arrested by police subsequently. Neha was a first-year MCA student and Fayaz was her former classmate. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday said that it has arrested the perpetrator and the architect behind the explosion at Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru.

Poonawalla raised questions about Karnataka's law and order situation under Congress's governance. "It is very unfortunate that in Karnataka, the law and order situation has become such that even the daughter of a Congress leader is not safe. How can anyone else's daughter be safe then?" He pointed out that the father of the victim, despite being part of Congress, has expressed dissatisfaction with the progress of the investigation. According to him, this has prompted the victim's father to call for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

"He doesn't trust the state government, despite being part of Congress, and he says that there are delays in catching the culprits, which is why he has requested a CBI probe. Even BJP's national president has visited and assured him that the BJP stands firmly with his family in their fight for justice and supports a CBI investigation into the matter," Poonawalla said. "What's even more unfortunate is that instead of standing with Neha's family, Congress leaders are defending the mindset of the perpetrator," he added.

Earlier, Niranjan Hiremath, the father of the murdered girl, demanded a CBI investigation alleging that the police are trying to "divert" the case. Hiremath also demanded the transfer of the police commissioner in charge of the case for alleged "negligence".

Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said that his government has no objection over the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Hubballi murder case, however, he added that his government will deal with the case in their own way. He also criticized prominent Congress and INDI Alliance leaders claiming they do not support victims like Neha or other women, but are seen aligning with individuals from their perceived vote banks.

"Priyanka Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and other INDI Alliance leaders don't stand with them. But they are seen standing with Shahjahan Shiekh and Fayaz (the accused of Hubballi incident) because they care about their vote bank. This is why law and order is deteriorating in Bengaluru and Karnataka," Poonawalla said. The women of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district have accused Shahjahan and his aides of grave excesses and atrocities.

Multiple women on the island accused Shajahan and his aides of "land-grab and sexual assault" under coercion. (ANI)

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