Senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah faced a major embarrassment on Thursday after an agitated kin of a communal riot victim refused to accept the compensation amount provided by the former threw it at his convoy, seeking justice. According to reports, the incident took place in Karnataka's Bagalkote district when Siddaramaiah had gone to visit the injured persons admitted in the government hospital.
A woman, whose husband was injured in recent Kerur violence, threw the money that was given to her as a relief amount by Congress leader Siddaramaiah, at his vehicle today.
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Sources told news agency PTI that the former Karnataka Chief Minister gave Rs 50,000 to each injured person as compensation. This reportedly enraged the kin of victims, who insisted on getting justice.
"What we want is justice, not any compensation or sympathy. Whatever happened to me shouldn't happen to anyone else. I can't beg every day for relief from Siddaramaiah or anyone else who comes to beg for votes," woman who threw wads of currency notes at Siddaramaiah's vehicle told reporters.
"After the incident, my husband needs to take at least one year of bed rest. Who will take care of my family? What I request is justice. I need justice, not compensation or sympathy," she said.
The person who was injured in the riots has been indentified as Mohammad Hanif.
Later on, Siddaramaiah said someone must have instigated the woman. He also claimed that the family finally accepted the money. "The money has been given to them. It was given out of humanity. It’s not that it will be sufficient to mitigate all the difficulties they are facing," the former CM said.
"We public representatives are here to ensure that no such incident occurs. People should ask the Chief Minister and the BJP leaders. You should ask this question (seeking justice) to them," Siddaramaiah said.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party took a pod shot at the Congress leader and said that appeasement of the Congress veteran enraged the woman, who threw money on his vehicle.