21 Apr. 24
The murder of Neha Hiremath, the 23-year-old daughter of a Congress councilor in Hubballi, Karnataka, has sparked a heated political controversy, with conflicting narratives and accusations dominating the discourse.
Neha, a first-year MCA student, was fatally stabbed on April 18th at BVB College in Hubballi by Fayaz Khondunaik, a former classmate who fled the scene but was later apprehended by police. This devastating incident has reverberated through the local community, triggering widespread calls for justice and the most severe punishment for the perpetrator.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Karnataka’s opposition party, has seized upon Neha’s murder as an alleged case of ‘love jihad,’ contending that Fayaz aimed to convert Neha through a romantic relationship. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has accused the state government of suppressing the ‘love jihad’ angle for electoral gain.
Joshi emphasized, “He (the victim’s father) is a corporator. For vote bank politics, suppressing and hushing up is their (Congress) policy. This is all happening due to that… There is a ‘love jihad’ but they do not want to investigate that. The father himself is saying that this is being hushed up.”
In response, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah forcefully rejected the ‘love jihad’ allegations, dismissing them as a ploy by the BJP to exploit the tragedy for political advantage. Siddaramaiah underscored that the investigation into Neha’s murder is being conducted diligently and assured that justice will prevail.
“The murder of Neha Hiremath is not a case of love jihad. I condemn the incident. We have arrested the culprit, the investigation is going on seriously and we will punish the culprit,” Siddaramaiah declared.
Despite these assurances, tensions persist as both parties trade accusations over the handling of the case. Niranjan Hiremath, the victim’s father and a corporator in the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, expressed concerns about potential politicization of the investigation and stressed the need for a fair and unbiased inquiry.
Adding to the family’s grief, Neha’s mother echoed her husband’s sentiments, calling for a transparent investigation. “I want justice for my daughter. This is a very painful time for us, and we hope the authorities will ensure that the truth comes out,” she pleaded.
The tragic murder of Neha Hiremath has exposed deep societal divisions and underlined the contentious nature of politics in Karnataka. As investigations continue amid heightened emotions, the primary focus remains on securing justice for Neha and her grieving family in the midst of a charged political environment.
In a further escalation, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda met with Neha Hiremath’s family, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case. Nadda expressed solidarity with the grieving family and asserted that if the Karnataka police were unable to handle the investigation effectively, the case should be transferred to the CBI for a thorough inquiry.
The announcement of a statewide protest by the Karnataka BJP on April 22nd underscores the depth of public sentiment surrounding this tragic event and its entanglement with political narratives. This protest aims to demand justice for Neha and raise concerns over law and order in the state, further intensifying the ongoing political dispute over her murder.
