Bangalore limping back to normalcy, Government to curb rallies

Even as communal riot-hit parts of Bangalore showed signs of returning to normality yesterday, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy took serious note of the violence and announced that the Government would soon bring in a piece of legislation to curb processions in densely populated areas.

Speaking to reporters after convening a high-level meeting to review the situation in Bangalore, Kumaraswamy said the processions will be kept out of the limits of the City. “The Government may even ban such processions in the City. Specific open fields will be identified for the purpose on the outskirts of the City and such rallies will be allowed only in these grounds”, he said.

The Chief Minister said the proposed law would hold the leaders of the organizations taking out rallies for violent incidents. “The violence was triggered after the Friday rally organized to condemn the hanging of deposed Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein. It worsened during a counter rally by the rival community. The piece of legislation will hold the leaders who organize such rallies in future responsible for violence”, he said.

Kumaraswamy said the Intelligence Department was studying the recording of the provocative speeches made at the rallies organized by Virata Hindu Samavesha and the People’s Front, which had taken out a procession to condemn Saddam’s execution. Appropriate action will be taken if anybody is found guilty of inciting communal passions, Kumaraswamy said.

Meanwhile, the police decided to withdraw night curfew in the affected areas of Bangalore, but prohibitory orders under section 144 remained force. Though people were found leaving their homes to attend work, there was heavy police presence in most of the riot-hit areas.

The Government has announced a compensation of Rs 100,000 to the next of kin of the twelve-year-old boy, who had died in the police firing. Persons, who had sufferred bullet injuries, will receive Rs 25,000 each and the Government will bear the cost of the treatment.

Police said the dead boy had been identified as Fazil, a resident of Thimmaiah road in Bangalore. Police said Fazil, who had died after a bullet pierced his chest, was an orphan. He stayed with his uncle and worked as an assistant of a carpenter.

Bowring Hospital in Bangalore, where a large number of persons injured are undergoing treatment, witnessed a steady arrival of VVIPs including former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, former Federal Minister C K Jaffer Sharief and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President M Mallikarjun Kharge, besides Muslim legislators like Zameer Ahmed Khan, R Roshan Baig and Abdul Azeem.