Karnataka BJP state president B Y Vijayendra launched a scathing attack on the Congress-led state government, accusing it of gross mismanagement of law and order in Maddur town, Mandya district, following violent clashes during a Ganesha idol immersion procession on Sunday. Speaking to reporters before heading to the troubled town, Vijayendra condemned the government’s response, alleging that “anti-national elements” who pelted stones at the peaceful procession were not adequately addressed, while FIRs were filed against Hindu workers instead.

“The state government and police have utterly failed to maintain peace,” Vijayendra declared, pointing to what he described as a complete breakdown in intelligence and preparedness. He highlighted the absence of women police officers during the incident, despite reports of women being targeted, as evidence of the administration’s negligence. “This was a peaceful religious procession, yet miscreants disrupted it, and the police were unprepared,” he added.

According to police reports, two FIRs have been registered in connection with the clashes in Ram Rahim Nagar, where stones were allegedly thrown at the procession, escalating tensions between communities.

Vijayendra further accused Congress leaders, including the district in-charge minister and a senior MLA, of making inflammatory statements that exacerbated unrest. “The Congress thrives on divide-and-rule tactics and minority appeasement, which has led to disturbances across Karnataka,” he claimed. To demonstrate solidarity and boost morale among party workers, the BJP organized a Ganesha procession in Maddur on Wednesday as a show of strength.

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The BJP leader announced plans to visit Maddur to assess the situation firsthand and determine the party’s next steps. Meanwhile, authorities have deployed over 1,000 police personnel, including Karnataka State Reserve Police forces, to maintain peace, with prohibitory orders in place until Thursday morning. The incident has reignited debates over communal harmony and governance, with the BJP vowing to hold the Congress government accountable for what it calls a failure to protect religious festivities.

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