In a controversial U-turn, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday, 25 December said that the government is withdrawing the compensation announced to the kin of those who were killed in police firing in Mangaluru.
He said the compensation that was announced on Sunday of Rs 10 lakh to each of the victims’ families will be decided only following a discussion.
The CM said, "We have not yet decided to give the exgratia to the family members of those killed in the police firing because giving criminals exgratia is an unpardonable crime in itself. Earlier, the government had decided to give them compensation, but now we have withdrawn it."
This came even as the CM had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killings of Abdul Jaleel (49) and Nauseen (23).
Ever since protests against the Citizenship Act broke out, 25 deaths have been reported from all over India, almost all in police firing.
All these deaths have been reported from states where the BJP is in power – 18 in Uttar Pradesh, 2 in Karnataka and 5 deaths in Assam.
It is only BS Yediyurappa who announced compensation for victims. "There was pressure on him to withdraw as the BJP governments in the other two states had not announced any compensation.
"Moreover, the Centre and state governments have taken a stance that the protesters were wrong, announcing compensation for them goes against this stand,” a source in the government said.
Other BJP leaders in Karnataka, like Shobha Karandlaje and CT Ravi, have openly blamed the protesters and even said that they belong to a certain community and should be dealt with properly.
The Deaths In Mangaluru
The two men were killed when police at Mangaluru North (Bunder) police station opened fire during protests against CAA last Thursday. The police justified their actions by citing incidents of stone-pelting and arson in Bunder.
While police maintain that the two people killed were involved in rioting, their family members have said they were just bystanders.
Following their demise, Abdul and Nausheen were booked for rioting along with forty-three others in Bunder. They were both sole earning members of their families.
Abdul's relatives said that he was waiting for his children to come home and the incident occurred right after his children had reached their apartment. The bullet hit Abdul in the eye, doctors at Highland Hospital confirmed.
“The police which should be protecting people are the ones shooting at people. Abdul was hit in the eye by the bullet and this should not happen to anyone. We want justice for this,” Fatima Faiz, Abdul’s wife told TNM.
Similarly, Nausheen Kudroli, 23, was returning home from work in Bunder when he was hit by a bullet while taking cover.
While the government had put the official compensation on hold, the Congress and JD(S) had given each of the victims’ families Rs 5 lakh and Rs 7 lakh respectively.
(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute)
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