Moral policing is on the rise in Mangaluru city and its outskirts because Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is encouraging such acts by right wing activists, Congress leader Siddaramaiah alleged on Saturday.

Addressing reporters at the airport here, he said eight moral policing incidents have been reported in Dakshina Kannada in the recent past.
Condemning such acts by anti-social elements, he said strict action should be taken against those involved in moral policing.

Siddramaiah wondered whether the Chief Minister is aware of the existing laws and the duties of the police. The government should not allow such activities to take place, he said.

Reacting to the wide-spread criticism against the statement of KPCC president D K Shivakumar on the Mangaluru blasts, Siddaramaiah said the BJP is manipulating the KPCC chief’s statement and spreading false information among the people.

On the BJP’s charge that terrorist activities were on the rise during the rule of the Congress, he asked why the BJP could not contain terrorism in the country in the last 9 years. “Now they have a double-engine government here and why are they not preventing terrorist activities,” he asked.

He said the BJP leaders are trying to divert the attention of the people from burning problems faced by the State and are provoking the masses with emotive issues.