Bengaluru, 10 Sept 

The BJP on Wednesday took out a massive Lord Ganesha rally in Maddur town in Mandya district in an apparent show of strength and protest against the pelting of stones on the idol immersion procession on 7 September, leading to a riot. The party organised the immersion of a decorated, gigantic Ganesha idol atop a decked-up open truck, which passed through the heart of the city.

The protest was attended by several BJP heads, including State unit President BY Vijayendra, LOP in the Assembly R Ashoka and LOP in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.

Earlier, Vijayendra claimed that anti-national elements have been given a free hand by the ruling Congress after the Maddur stone-pelting incident. He accused the State government of indulging in appeasement politics. 

Vijayendra, who is leading a BJP fact-finding committee on the incident, said law and order had collapsed in the State.

"It clearly shows how few anti-national elements have been given a free hand by the local administration,” he said. “When permission for a Ganesha procession was already granted, then why was there no proper deployment of police? Not a single woman police constable was there despite the presence of many women."

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar hit back, saying the BJP’s politics was “dividing people”.

“They (BJP) don’t have any job other than indulging in politics, dividing people and inciting fire. They have nothing else to do,” Shivakumar said. “Let them go to Delhi and get funds (from the Centre). Let them get the State NREGA funds, tax share. Let them get permission for the Mekedatu and Mahadayi (river) projects. Let them do this first.”