Bengaluru, April 25 : A fresh controversy has erupted in Karnataka after Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader wrote to Home Minister G. Parameshwara seeking a review and possible withdrawal of cases against alleged â??innocent Muslim youthâ?? in connection with the 2022 Ladle Mashak Dargah violence case.

The letter has also reignited the Ladle Mashak Dargah dispute in Aland town of Kalaburagi district, which had triggered widespread unrest in 2022. Khader, in his letter, has urged the government to review the case and drop charges against those he claims were falsely implicated.

The Speakerâ??s move has drawn strong opposition from Hindu organisations, including Shiv Sena, which have condemned the request and warned the government against withdrawing the cases. They have stated that the incident involved serious violence and that any attempt to drop charges would lead to large-scale protests.

Hindu groups have also alleged that the move could send a wrong message and undermine justice for those affected in the incident. They have demanded that the government ensure a fair investigation and proceed strictly according to the law.

The case pertains to an incident at the Ladle Mashak Dargah, where the Sri Raghav Chaitanya Shivalinga is located. Tensions had escalated after allegations that the Shivalinga was desecrated by miscreants. In response, members of Hindu organisations had visited the site to perform purification rituals.

During the event, large-scale violence broke out, with stone-pelting reported against vehicles and individuals, including a Union Minister, district officials such as the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, and leaders of Hindu organisations. Several people were injured in the incident.

Following the violence, Aland police registered cases against hundreds of persons, including an alleged key accused identified as Ansari. However, Khader has now contended that several innocent Muslim youths were also named in the case, and charges against them should be dropped.

The development has once again brought the Ladle Mashak Dargah case into focus, with the issue threatening to trigger renewed political and communal tensions in the state.

It can be noted that the Ladle Mashak Dargah in Aland, Kalaburagi district, is a 14th-century Sufi shrine dedicated to Hazrat Sheikh Alauddin Ansari (popularly known as Ladle Mashaikh). Historically significant for promoting communal harmony, the shrine has traditionally hosted both Sufi Urs celebrations and Hindu rituals dedicated to the Raghava Chaitanya Shivling, which is located inside the complex.

The shrine was mentioned by the 15th-century Russian traveler Afanasy Nikitin as a major trading hub and pilgrimage site (Urs) where horses and various goods were traded, referring to it as the best fair in India.

For centuries, it has been a centre of blended culture where both Muslims and Hindus offered prayers.

/IANS