The BJP leader cited the killing as an example of what he called rising criminal activity since the Congress assumed office two years ago.
Published Aug 12, 2025 | 10:23 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 12, 2025 | 10:23 PM
The BJP leader accused the Congress of fuelling communal tensions.
Synopsis: The Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka, R Ashoka, has accused the Congress government of presiding over a “complete collapse of law and order” in the state, a day after protests were held to seek punishment for the murder of 26-year-old Gavisiddappa Nayaka in Koppal on 3 August by five Muslim men. Hundreds of people, led by the Akhila Karnataka Valmiki Nayaka Mahasabha and joined by political leaders, staged a protest in Koppal on 11 August demanding the death penalty for the accused.
The murder of 26-year-old Gavisiddappa Nayaka in Koppal has sparked a political confrontation in Karnataka, with Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka accusing the Congress government of presiding over a “complete collapse of law and order” in the state.
The BJP leader on Tuesday, 12 August, cited the killing as an example of what he called rising criminal activity since the Congress assumed office two years ago.
Gavisiddappa, a resident of Kurubar Oni in Koppal, was attacked on 3 August while returning from Bahaddur Bandi Road. According to police, he was ambushed near a mosque around 7.30 pm, and his neck was slashed with a machete.
The prime accused, identified as Sadiq Hussain Kolkar, surrendered to police shortly after the incident. He, along with four others – Gesudaraj Patel, Nizamuddin, and Mehboob Sikkalgar – has been booked under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 and Section 3(2)(V) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Speculation has linked the killing to a personal dispute, alleging that the victim was in a relationship with a woman from another religion, with whom the prime accused had reportedly also been involved earlier. Police, however, denied any communal angle to the crime.
On Monday, 11 August, hundreds of people gathered at the Clock Tower in Koppal town in a protest organised by the Akhila Karnataka Valmiki Nayaka Mahasabha, a body representing the Scheduled Tribes Nayaka community. Protesters demanded the death penalty for the accused.
Present at the protest were Congress MLA for Koppal Raghavendra Hitnal, former ministers Rajugouda and Shivan Gouda Nayak, BJP district president Basavaraj Dadesagur, former MLA Paranna Munavalli, Basavaraj Kyavatara, and members of the victim’s family.
R Ashoka, who has repeatedly criticised the Siddaramaiah-led government over the alleged breakdown in law and order in the state, seized on the Koppal killing to launch a scathing attack.
“Under the Congress government, the state has seen: Shocking communal killings and targeted violence. Rise in supari killings, gang wars, and politically protected goondas. Attacks on women, with safety on streets and campuses at an all-time low. Police morale crushed under political interference, leading to delayed justice and emboldened criminals,” he claimed in a post on X.
The BJP leader accused the Congress of fuelling rather than calming tensions between communities.
“Communal tensions stoked instead of being resolved, dividing communities and destroying harmony. From the murder of Hindu activists to the unchecked criminalisation, Congress has turned Karnataka into a safe haven for lawbreakers,” he wrote.
“Yesterday’s massive protest in Koppal, with thousands from the Valmiki and broader Hindu community taking to the streets, wasn’t just about one murder. It was a loud, collective cry against the complete breakdown of governance.”
He further accused the Congress of shielding criminals for “vote bank politics”, referring to the fact that the accused are Muslim.
“The Congress government has failed to protect citizens, failed to uphold justice, and failed to ensure peace. Instead of acting against criminals, it shields them for vote-bank politics. Karnataka deserves safety, not surrender. Justice, not appeasement,” he claimed.
“The people of Karnataka are fed up with this anarchy and lawlessness and they are waiting to throw away this useless government.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
