: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday said the state government has decided to order a CID and magisterial probe into the violent protest against the CAA in Mangaluru that caused two deaths, even as the opposition Congress rejected the decision by demanding a judicial probe.
"Regarding the Mangaluru incident, the Home Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) and I have decided that both CID and magisterial inquiry should be conducted, and orders will be issued either on Monday or Tuesday," Yediyurappa said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "We have made an honest effort towards getting it (incident) inquired comprehensively. I have also ordered strict action against those who unnecessarily created chaos there and tried to barge into the police station (in Mangaluru) and attempted to take away the arms that were there," he said.
Blaming the ruling BJP for the violence and accusing police of inciting it, several senior Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had demanded a high-level probe by a sitting High Court judge into the incident.
Rejecting the CID and magisterial probe, opposition leader Siddaramaiah, who was in Mangaluru, alleged that the Chief Minister was trying to give a certificate to the police as though he was the witness.
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"Who works in CID? It is the police. Who has done the firing? If inquiry is done by them - truth should come out, right? I have already demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the High Court. I will continue to demand this during the assembly session (from January 20)," he told reporters.
The Leader of Opposition was in the coastal city that was hit by violence, after being denied entry twice last week citing curfew and law and order situation.
Two persons were killed in a police firing in Mangaluru last Thursday as the protest against the CAA had turned violent, following which the city was brought under curfew and mobile internet service was suspended.
Hoping that peace and tranquility would continue across the state, Yediyurappa said those who were speaking against CAA were not able to or ready to say how would the Act would affect minority Muslim brothers.
He said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that no Muslim brother of the country will get affected by it (CAA), yet the Congress and others are indulging in a conspiracy of creating unnecessary confusion. People have understood that and they will teach a lesson."
Later speaking to reporters in Shivamogga, Yediyurappa said there is credible information that those killed in the Mangaluru incident along with others were part of those who tried to cause damage to the police station and attempted to take away arms from there to misuse them.
"A few people had come from Kerala covering their faces with cloth and several youths were part of it," he said.
Different parts of the country witnessed violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which was passed by Parliament and given assent by the President recently.
According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, and facing religious persecution there, would not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
The Act says refugees of the six communities would be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of 11 earlier.
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