Mysuru-Kodagu MP and royal scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar on Wednesday, 16 September firmly stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not opposed to Muslims, clarifying that the party's demonstration in T. Narasipura, Karnataka, was directed solely against remarks made by a local police inspector concerning a Ganesh procession near a mosque. Speaking in Mysuru, Yaduveer sought to reframe the controversy that had drawn statewide attention following the protest on 13 September.

What the BJP Protest Was About

Yaduveer maintained that the demonstration was triggered by statements made by T. Narasipura Police Inspector Dhananjaya at a peace meeting, where the officer allegedly warned procession organisers against bursting crackers in front of a mosque on Link Road. According to Yaduveer, the inspector's remarks in Kannada amounted to telling organisers that 'if a procession is taken in front of the mosque, he will make them repent' and that 'if you people go there, you get charged up.'

The BJP interpreted these remarks as an attempt to restrict the procession's route and subsequently demanded the inspector's suspension. District police, however, maintained that no restrictions had been imposed on the route or the festival itself.

MP's Clarification on Community Targeting

'We are opposed to the T. Narasipura police inspector. For that reason, we have protested. We have not protested targeting Muslims,' Yaduveer said. He added that the BJP's protest 'should not be portrayed as being directed against the Muslim community,' urging media and political opponents to draw a clear distinction between opposing a police officer's conduct and targeting a religious group.

The Footwear Controversy

Separately, Yaduveer addressed criticism over BJP leaders reportedly wearing shoes and slippers while holding Ganesh idols during the demonstration outside the T. Narasipura police station. He argued that the idols in question had not been ritually installed and therefore did not require the same level of reverence accorded to consecrated idols. 'For installed idols, that kind of respect is given. The idols which we held were not installed. In that respect, it is not an issue of controversy. We were wearing chappals while protesting on the street,' he said.

Allegation Against Police and CM

Yaduveer also alleged that the police had acted in defence of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the episode. 'I have observed that the police defended CM Shivakumar. If you defend such statements, what would be the public opinion?' he questioned. He further asked whether using such language at a peace meeting was appropriate for a law enforcement officer, and demanded accountability for the inspector's remarks.

Key Figures at the Protest

Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka, MLA T.S. Srivatsa, and former MP Pratap Simha joined Yaduveer at the 13 September demonstration. Ashoka carried a Ganesh idol and led a march along Link Road. BJP leaders, including Yaduveer, were subsequently detained by police and later released. This comes amid a broader pattern of political contestation in Karnataka over religious procession routes, a flashpoint that has recurred in multiple districts over recent years.

With the BJP demanding the inspector's suspension and the state government yet to formally respond, the episode is likely to remain a live political issue in the run-up to local civic body elections.