Bengaluru/UNI: While the BJP is staging statewide protests against the arrest of a Karsevak for his indulgence in post-Babri Masjid demolition riots in Hubballi, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday accused the saffron party standing for a criminal who is facing 16 cases against him.

"There is no mention of Karsevak anywhere in the FIR. He (Shrikant Poojari) has been accused as a criminal. Approximately 16 cases have been foisted on him. In some of which, he has got clean chits.

"The BJP is standing in support of such a person who is facing 16 cases. I do not know what has happened to them," he told reporters here.

Replying to a query, Parameshwara questioned the BJP for neither cracking the long-pending cases as per court orders nor dropping the cases against those people whom they are backing as of now.

"Yesterday also, I clarified that when the old cases were being dug out, his (Poojari) case came to light. Of course, action against him has been delayed, and taken after 31 years.

"But, they (BJP) also ruled the state under Yediyurappa, but they could have dropped the cases or punished the culprits. They did not do either," he said.

Yesterday, Parameshwara alleged that the BJP is politicising the issue.

The Hubballi-Dharwad police on Friday arrested Poojari connected with the December 1992 violence in Hubballi following Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya.

However, Hindu activists and BJP workers questioned the timing of the arrest, with the Ram temple in Ayodhya set to be opened this month.

During the riots, a shop was set ablaze during a protest in December 1992, and Town police had filed cases against many people.