BJP waiting for some murder to reap political benefit: Congress MLC

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Working President and MLC Manjunath Bhandary speaks at a press conference in Mangaluru on May 5, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the Suhas Shetty murder for political gain, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee Working President and MLC Manjunath Bhandary said the party appears to be waiting for some murder to happen so as to reap political benefits.

Speaking to reporters in Mangaluru on May 5, Mr. Bhandary said the Congress condemns any criminal activity, including the murder of Suhas Shetty who is named in five criminal cases, including the murder of Keerthi, a Dalit. The BJP government had opened a rowdy sheet against him, but the same party is now glorifying him, Mr. Bhandary chided.

At a time when the situation was appearing to become normal after a series of hate crimes in coastal Karnataka, the mob lynching of Ashraff and murder of Suhas Shetty has dented the image of the region. “I was keen on promoting tourism in the undivided Dakshina Kannada district. The government had responded positively by assuring to bring in a separate tourism policy for coastal Karnataka,” Mr. Bhandary said.

The BJP, Mr. Bhandary alleged, was attempting to convert any crime into a communal incident and cited the recent issue of a missing student at Farangipet. BJP leaders made every attempt to give a communal colour to the incident. Fortunately, the student, who had run away, returned home.

The MLC also cited the recent speech of Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja condemning Muslims and said such people have lowered the dignity of legislators.

Criticises seer

The MLC took a dig at Udupi Pejawar Mutt seer Sri Vishwaprasanna Tirtha Swamiji, who had reportedly expressed anguish over the murder of Suhas Shetty. His Guru, late Sri Vishwesha Tritha, had said Muslims had contributed to the growth of the mutt and had even hosted an Iftar for Muslims at the mutt. The seer shoudl not speak like a politician and uphold the sanctity of the mutt, Mr. Bhandary said.

By claiming to be the saviour of Hindutva, the BJP is riding a tiger that could attack the rider later, he said and gave the example of mob fury against the then BJP State president Nalin Kumar Kateel after the murder of Praveen Nettaru.