On 21st May (Thursday), Congress-led Karnataka government made the decision to drop 52 criminal cases that had been filed in different police stations throughout the state. “Pro-Kannada organisations and farmers’ organisations had been giving representations on cases against them for several years now. The government referred it to a cabinet sub-committee, after discussing each case individually, the sub-committee felt these cases could be legally withdrawn,” Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the move.
These cases were registered against those protesting under the guise of farmer and Dalit rights, Cauvery demonstrators, pro-Kannada crusaders, including 10 against Vatal Nagaraj and Kalasa Banduri agitators. Minister H K Patil informed that the Karnataka High Court will pass a judgment on some of the aforementioned matters.
Notably, 7 among these withdrawn cases are related to the 2022 anti-Hindu violence at Ladle Mushtaq Dargah in Aland of Kalaburagi district. Parameshwara was particularly questioned about this, highlighting the assault on police by the Islamists but he alleged, “I don’t want to speak in detail. The cabinet has decided to withdraw the cases. The decision was made after considering all those facts; it was not made all of a sudden.”
Hindu groups had planned to offer puja to Raghavachaitanya Shivalinga located inside the dargah premises. The Hindu groups wanted to cleanse the idol by performing puja after some miscreants had thrown human faeces on the Shivalinga recently.
As the Hindu groups marched towards the dargah, a Muslim mob assembled outside the premises to stop the peaceful rally. Apparently, the local Muslims had planned a procession to mark Shabab-e-Barat to pay respects to the dead at the shared dargah on the same day.
The Muslim mob assembled near the dargah flashed sharp weapons, sticks and other armaments as Hindu groups approached the dargah. The dargah committee office-bearers locked the gate, saying they would not allow them inside.
The enraged mob pelted stones at them as they encountered Hindu activists, leaving many injured. The mob also pelted stones on the vehicles of Union Minister Bhagwanth Khuba, former MLA BR Patil, including the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police. The Kalaburgi police eventually arrested more than 167 persons, including ten women, for their role in the clashes in Aland.
They were reportedly booked under Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and relevant IPC sections such as 143, 147, 353, 307, 504, 427, 120B and others.
Based on the recommendation of Karnataka Assembly Speaker U. T. Khader, the Karnataka Cabinet has withdrawn 8 cases against Muslim mobs involved in riots, after claims were made that “innocent Muslims” had been falsely implicated.
— Girish Bharadwaj (@Girishvhp) May 22, 2026
The charges in these cases include serious… https://t.co/mQlmIFJ328
Advocate and Hindu activist Girish Bharadwaj has declared that the decision will be challenged in the high court. “We will not allow the State to misuse its powers to protect rioters and appease vote-bank politics,” he declared.
