In 2022, the Karnataka government led by Congress decided to withdraw criminal cases against AIMIM leaders for being accused of leading the mob when they attacked the police and threatened to break into the police station in Hubballi.
The cases against AIMIM leader Mohammed Arif and 138 others accused of setting upon the police and threatening to storm the police station will be withdrawn by the Congress-led state government.
They are also charged with creating an atmosphere of violence in connection with the April 2022 riots in Hubballi.
The charges against them included crimes such as attempted murder and rioting that the prosecution, police, and the department of law have protested against, which they had withdrawn.
In October 2023, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Sivakumar wrote to the Additional Director General of Police to withdraw these cases and consider the charges again.
Pursuant to that, it was directed to the home department to collect such case information related to FIRs and witness statements, among other things.
The move has sparked a stern opposition backlash from the BJP, with the saffron party accusing Congress of trying to appease Muslims.
BJP’s MLC N Ravi Kumar says, “Cong govt. doing appeasement politics. Hiding supporting terrorists and withdrawing cases. While farmers, students cases are pending, cases on anti-India elements will be withdrawn,” he added.
The unrest in question started on April 16, 2022, after a derogatory image surfaced on social media showing a saffron flag hoisted atop a mosque. This caused a massive protest outside the Old Hubballi Police Station by the Muslim community.
