The Karnataka state government on Tuesday said it would review whether laws were violated during protests in parts of the state following reports of the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and would take action if violations were found.
Home Minister G Parameshwara said demonstrations must adhere to established norms, regardless of who is participating. “If they wanted to organize a protest, they should have done it at Freedom Park. It doesn’t matter even if MLAs participate. The same rules apply to everyone. We have to think about filing a legal action if there is a violation,” he said.
Parameshwara added that he had not received any official communication from the Union government directing states to monitor the protests related to Khamenei’s alleged death. “The matter might have reached the Chief Secretary or the Interior Ministry. If any instructions had been issued, the Director General of Police would have informed me about them. I have only seen media reports that those who support Ayatollah Khamenei will be monitored. I have not received any official update,” he said, adding: “If anything comes to our attention, we will start taking action.”
The minister described the developments as geopolitical and stressed that foreign policy decisions rest with the Center and that countries are following suit. He refused to comment on the Congress Party’s statements about the timing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign visits or on the criticism expressed by Sonia Gandhi, describing the matter as having a national and international scope.
The statement comes a day after BJP leader R Ashoka opposed the rallies organized in support of Khamenei.
“Khamenei was a dictator. There was an internal rebellion against him. Atrocities were committed against women there. Thousands of people were shot dead. Despite this, Muslims in many places in India, including Bengaluru, protested in favor of Khamenei,” Ashoka said at a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday. He urged action against those who “took the law into their own hands”, adding that India maintains cordial relations with Israel while pursuing a balanced foreign policy. “India is not against any country. My opinion is that there should be no war. The central government has never supported war,” he said.
The protests followed large gatherings in Alipora village in Chikkaballapur district, about 70 kilometers from Bengaluru, where thousands of residents mourned Khamenei’s death and condemned the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Members of the Shia community also held demonstrations in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.
He said Prime Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday urged the Indian government to ensure the safety and return of stranded individuals. “Many Indians are stranded there and all of them need to be brought back. We hope that all Kannadigas will return safely,” he added.
Parameshwara said there was no official confirmation of any deaths or injuries in Kannadigas. “The State Department has not provided any official information. Without that, it will be just speculation,” he said.
