Karnataka government on Wednesday decided to withdraw the ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 lakh each to the family of two people killed in the police firing during anti-CAA protests in Mangaluru.

After the protest turned violent over the contentious Citizenship Act, the Yediyurappa led state government announced the ex-gratia amount to the family of those killed by the police.

However, on December 25, the chief minister took back his decision to compensate kin of the deceased as the dead were among those accused of the violence.

“We have taken a decision. Since there are cases against them and it has been proven that they are amongst those accused [of violence]. In light of this, we are of the opinion that it would be inappropriate to hand out compensation right now. The final decision will be taken after Enquiry is over,” the chief minister said.

“We have not decided yet to give the exgratia to the family members of those killed in the police firing because giving criminals exgratia is an unpardonable crime in itself,” Yediyurappa added, “It is now clear that it (Mangaluru riot) was a conspiracy. People tried to barge into the armoury of the police station. We are not going to spare anybody.”

Defending the police action, the Chief Minister asked, if mob indulge in arson then should the police be quiet?

The CM further slammed the opposition parties for making irresponsible statements against the state government.

“An elected government cannot be so inhuman and cruel,” former chief minister Siddaramaiah wrote on Twitter, reacting to Yeddiuyrappa’s comment.

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