Amid BJP protests over Belagavi incident, dy CM says all culprits arrested

Amid the BJP planning a nationwide protest over the stripping and parading incident at Belagavi, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said all culprits involved in the incident have been arrested and none will be spared at any cost.

In a shocking incident, a 42-year-old woman in the Belagavi district was stripped, assaulted and paraded after her son allegedly eloped with another woman.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, the deputy chief minister said, "Our government swung into action immediately after learning of the incident. We have arrested all the culprits. The law will take its course and there's no question of shielding or protecting anyone. The Congress is committed to ensuring women's safety across the country."

Earlier, speaking on the incident, state Home Minister G Parameshwara said, "It is an unfortunate incident. A boy, about 24 years old, fell in love with a girl from the same village and the same community and eloped. After learning of the elopement, the girl's parents ransacked the boy's house and allegedly took away his mother, disrobed her before tying her to an electric pole."

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), meanwhile, sent a notice to the state government on Friday over the Belagavi incident.

The commission sought a report from the Congress government within four weeks on the action taken in the case and also decided to send a fact-finding team to the district.

"The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report carried on December 12, 2023, that a 42-year-old woman was stripped, paraded naked, tied to an electric pole and assaulted at Hosa Vantamuri village, Belagavi district, Karnataka, after her son eloped with a girl from the same village," the panel stated in an official release.

The panel stated that the contents of the news report, if true, do point to a serious violation of the victim's human rights.

"The purported act, as reported, seems to have a stereotyped patriarchal approach, which is a clear demonstration of the violation of the right to life and dignity of the victim. It is the duty of the state to safeguard vulnerable sections of society, especially women, children, elderly persons and people," the NHRC stated in the release.

The panel also issued notices to the chief secretary and the state's director general of police, seeking a detailed report within four weeks.

"It (the report) should include the status of the registration of the FIR, progress in investigation, arrest, if any, compensation under the Victim Compensation Scheme, if paid and the steps taken or to be taken to prevent such incidents in the state," the NHRC stated further in its release.

The panel also asked its DIG, Investigation, to constitute a team to conduct an on-the-spot fact-finding inquiry at the earliest and submit a report within two weeks.

BJP national president JP Nadda also condemned the incident and announced the setting up of a five-member committee to gather facts on the incident.

"BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda has strongly condemned the heinous incident of parading a tribal woman naked in Belgavi, Karnataka. Such heinous crimes, especially against women, have been happening at regular intervals ever since the Congress government came to power in Karnataka. This also exposes the irresponsible behaviour of Congress governments everywhere in the country in tackling such crimes," the party stated in a media release.

Stepping up heat on the Congress government in the state in light of the incident, BJP MPs staged a protest near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the new Parliament complex.

Earlier, on Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday accused Nadda of resorting to politics over the Belagavi incident.

"BJP's rule in Karnataka witnessed multiple instances of violence against women, but BJP National President JP Nadda has forgotten this to politically target us. Unfortunately, he is using a recent incident of violence against a woman in Belagavi for politics," Siddaramaiah posted on X.

"The violence inflicted on a woman and her family members in Belagavi is highly condemnable. It is shameful that BJP President Nadda is exploiting such an incident for political gain," the CM added.