'We will carry out more encounters than UP': Karnataka Minister warns amid 'Yogi model' row

BENGALURU: A senior Karnataka minister Ashwath Narayan has warned that the state government will be five times ahead of the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government in dealing with anti-social elements and criminals and would not hesitate in carrying out encounters to restore law and order. The statement was made by Karnataka Higher Education Minister Ashwath Narayan who warned of extreme measures to maintain law and order in the state in the wake of tension over BJP Youth Wing leader Praveen Nettar’s murder.

"They will be arrested but it's the wish of our workers and people that such incidents shouldn't happen. According to their wish, there will be action, culprits will be nabbed, and they will be nabbed. Whether that is going to be encounter, we will go five steps ahead of UP. Karnataka is a progressive state and model state, we don't need to follow anyone," Ashwath Narayan said according to media reports. 

The minister’s remarks came a day after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai warned about using the "Yogi (Adityanath) model" against "communal forces", amid anger and protests over a BJP worker's killing.

Speaking to reporters, Bommai on Thursday said, if the situation demands, the "Yogi model" government that exists in Uttar Pradesh will come into force in the southern state too to deal with anti-national and communal elements that are trying to create unrest.

As he completed one year in office on Thursday, the Chief Minister also gave a hundred out of hundred score for his government's performance.

"For the situation in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi (Adityanath) is the right Chief Minister. Similarly, there are different methods to deal with the situation in Karnataka and all of them are being used. If the situation demands, Yogi model government will come in Karnataka too," Bommai said.

He was responding to a question on demands by a section of BJP and Sangh Parivar supporters, who have turned their angst against the state government accusing it of not standing up to protect the lives of Hindu workers, calling for a "Yogi model" of governance in Karnataka, following the murder of a party Yuva Morcha member in Dakshina Kannada.

According to them, the 'Yogi model' refers to strong measures reportedly taken by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to control anti-national activities in the northern state, which include the use of bulldozers against such elements and mafia.

In the wake of the murder a party activist in Dakshina Kannada district, Bommai had cancelled events organised today to mark his government's one year, and BJP's three years in office, that included 'Janotsava', a mega rally at Doddaballapur that was scheduled to be attended by BJP national President J P Nadda.

Praveen Nettar, a zilla BJP Yuva Morcha committee member, was hacked to death in front of his broiler shop in Bellare in the coastal district by three bike-borne men on Tuesday night.

Noting that the government has taken the murder case seriously and an inquiry is on, Bommai said, "Five teams have been formed and teams have been sent to Kerala and officials are on their job. We are confident that culprits will be arrested and punished soon as it happened in the Harsha murder case in Shivamogga earlier this year."

There will be no compromise with regards to maintaining law and order, and we have announced a war against organised crime by anti-national and communal forces, and the results of it will be known to people, he said, as he appealed to people for peace.
Stating that there are certain challenges before the government with respect to maintaining communal harmony and in eliminating forces that want to disturb it, Bommai said this challenge exists in states across the country and such forces have raised their heads in Karnataka in the last 10 years.

Meanwhile, Bommai on Friday said the probe into the murder of a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha worker will be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

One more person was arrested on Friday in connection with the killing of Praveen Nettar in Dakshina Kannada district that happened earlier this week. Earlier, two persons had been apprehended by police in relation to the case.

"We have decided to hand over the case to the NIA. It will be communicated to the Home Department. Since it is an inter-state issue (Karnataka-Kerala), we decided to hand over the matter to the NIA," Bommai told reporters here.