KALABURAGI: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held the BJP and other right-wing outfits responsible for the communal tension that followed the murder of an Rashtriya Swayam Sangh (RSS) activist in Dakshina Kannada district.

Addressing presspersons at the DAR helipad here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister, who is in the city for a Congress party workers’ conference, said there would be peace in the coastal area if “BJP and other Sangh Pariwar outfits did not create trouble.”

“They [BJP and other right-wing outfits] violated prohibitory orders under Section 144 (of the Criminal Procedure Code) imposed in Bantwal and staged a demonstration and took out a rally. It is their provocative speeches that are disturbing peace in coastal area. To cover up their misdeeds, they are pointing fingers at Congress Ministers Ramanath Rai and U.T. Khader for the communal disturbance,” he said.

Turning down the demand of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder of the RSS activist, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the state police were competent to handle the case. “Be it RSS, Bhajarang Dal, Srirama Sene or Socialist Democratic Party of India, our police will deal with them impartially. Those who are instigating people through provocative speeches will have to face stringent legal action,” he remarked.

Asked about Union Minister D.V Sadananda Gowda demanding his resignation for “failing” to maintain law and order in the state, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, “Mr. Gowda should first go to Bantwal and advise his party workers to maintain peace. Everything will be fine then.”