CM slams Kumaraswamy over video on anti-CAA protest

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday hit out at his predecessor H D Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), terming video clippings released by him accusing police of inciting violence during anti-CAA protests in Mangaluru last month as "cut and paste" which do not have any meaning.

Kumaraswamy on Friday had released about 35 video clippings and had accused Mangaluru police of inciting violence during the protest on December 19 that had led to death of two persons.

"Is there any meaning for it (video clippings)? It is just a cut and paste. Our people (BJP leaders) have reacted, I don't want to comment on it," Yediyurappa said in response to a reporter's question about the clippings released by Kumaraswamy.

While releasing the videos, Kumaraswamy had criticised Mangaluru police, including its commissioner P S Harsha for their high-handedness, and had demanded setting up of a joint House committee to investigate the incident.

Refuting the allegations, Harsha on Saturday, without naming Kumaraswamy, claimed a few selected clippings of the incident have been released to the media, changing their sequence and context.

"Only after seeing the complete footage of these clippings, one can get clear picture of the incident. So it was necessary to see the clippings released in a sequence and with a context," he said.

The Mangaluru police commissioner said as independent inquiry on the incident by the CID and Magistrate was on, the city police will hand over all the video footage that were in its possession and the truth will come out after the probe.

Meanwhile, hitting out at Yediyurappa for terming the videos released by him as "cut and paste", Kumaraswamy in a series of tweets, asked whether he has the courage to prove the truth of the video by seeking a report from experts.

Reacting to several BJP leaders including Union Minister D V Sadananda Goowda, state Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, MP Shobha Karandlaje, among others, for attacking him over the video release, he said "it is not me (Kumaraswamy) who is playing politics in Mangaluru, it is you.

You are instigating communal violence there. BJP is responsible for turning Mangaluru from city of commerce to centre of communal politics.