Date : 19-04-2024
Hubballi: Niranjan Hiremath, father of Neha Hiremath, who was brutally murdered at the hands of her classmate Fayaz, has strongly condemned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent statement. Siddaramaiah said on Friday that Neha’s murder was motivated by personal reasons.
Niranjan expressed his disappointment, urging Siddaramaiah not to make statements without understanding the full context of the issue. He questioned the implications of the term “personal reasons,” fearing it might unjustly tarnish the reputation of the Hiremath family and his daughter.
He also criticised Home Minister G Parameshwara’s statement in Tumakuru, where he said that both Neha and murder accused Fayaz were in love and the accused killed her as she started avoiding him. Niranjan Hiremath urged the Home Minister to take back his words, and his statement was indeed an effort to tarnish his daughter’s name. She was not in love, and the statement of DCM was misleading.
In a separate development, members of Dalit organisations staged a protest in the city, demanding justice for Neha and advocating for the accused to face the harshest punishment. Sri Rama Sena chief Pramod Mutalik also paid his respects to Neha Hiremath while vehemently condemning the abhorrent crime.
Meanwhile, in Munavalli town in Belagavi district, Fayaz’s home town, people staged a protest by blocking the Savadatti-Sankeshwar state highway. Business owners closed their establishments in support of the protest by the protesters.
In the town, both BJP and Congress leaders and Hindu and Muslim community members held separate demonstrations demanding the death penalty for Fayaz. Congess MLA from Savadatti, Vishwas Vaidya, led the protesters. BJP supporters were led by Rajya Sabha Member Iranna Kadadi and JD(S) leader Anand Chopra.
In fear of facing the ire of emotionally charged people, Fayaz’s parents have locked out their house and shifted somewhere else. The neighbours of Fayaz’s house have also vacated the house, fearing violence.
The ABVP members staged a protest in Hubballi by blocking busy Hubballi-Dharwad Road in front of BVB College. In Belagavi, the ABVP activists staged a protest.
Bajarang Dal activists and Hindu Jana Jagruti Samiti members staged a protest and demanded that the accused be encountered. Congress party Hubballi-Dharwad President Altaf Hallur condemned the brutal murder and urged the authorities to hand over the accused to them so that they could kill him in busy Chennamma Circle.
He said Anjuman-e-Islam has submitted a memorandum to the authorities to book him under the harshest provisions of the Indian Penal Code, and he should not evade the death penalty.
Neha was laid to rest according religious rituals of Veerashaiva Jangama traditions. Thousands of people gathered at her funeral and demanded justice for her.
