The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka has decided to drop charges against All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Mohammed Arif and 138 others in connection with the 2022 Old Hubballi police station riot. The incident followed a social media post that allegedly offended Islamic sentiments, sparking violent unrest.
The unrest erupted on April 16, 2022, after a man named Abhishek Hiremath shared a social media post featuring a saffron flag atop a mosque. The post led to outrage within the Muslim community and a protest outside the Old Hubballi police station. While the protest started peacefully, it soon escalated into a riot, with protesters attacking police officers, pelting stones, and damaging public property.
Several police officers were injured during the violence, and a nearby Hanuman temple and hospital sustained extensive damage. AIMIM leaders were accused of orchestrating the attack, in which thousands stormed the police station. The Old Hubballi Town police filed charges of rioting, attempted murder, damage to public and government properties, attacking officials, and violations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the accused.
In October 2023, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recommended reconsidering the charges and wrote to the Additional Director General of Police to withdraw the case. The home department subsequently reviewed the evidence, FIRs, and witness statements, leading to the official withdrawal of charges, which sparked strong criticism from the opposition.
The BJP sharply criticized the Congress government, accusing it of "appeasement politics" and siding with "anti-national elements." BJP leader Amit Malviya condemned the decision on X, stating, "The Congress Govt in Karnataka has withdrawn the Old Hubballi police station riot case, despite opposition from the Law and Police departments. Several police officers were seriously injured during the rioting and stone-pelting that followed. This is nothing but Congress’s naked politics of Muslim appeasement.”
BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar said, "The Congress government is engaging in appeasement politics by supporting terrorists and withdrawing cases against them. While cases involving farmers and students remain pending, cases against anti-India elements are being dropped."