Bengaluru, May 31 (Reporter) In a sharp escalation of her attack against the Congress-led government in Karnataka, BJP MP and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Saturday accused the Siddaramaiah administration of attempting to shield and rehabilitate criminals by seeking to withdraw 43 serious criminal cases linked to communal violence, arson as well as attacks on police personnel in Hubballi-Dharwad. Addressing reporters here, Karandlaje said the Congress government’s move to drop the cases, including those which involved charges of rioting, attempted murder, and destruction of public property, was halted only after the High Court intervened. "These 43 cases involved more number of accused. Had the High Court not stepped in, these criminals would have been out on the streets, ready to target our youths again. What kind of government tries to protect such elements?" she asked. Karandlaje alleged that the government’s intent was clear: to appease vote banks by quietly clearing criminal records of politically aligned elements. She said the move not only undermined the morale of the police force but sent a dangerous message to lawbreakers that political patronage could override justice. "We are seeing a dangerous collapse of law and order in Karnataka. In Hubballi-Dharwad, a police station was torched, shops were set on fire, and innocent people were assaulted. Instead of ensuring justice, the Congress cabinet moved to withdraw the very cases that were meant to bring the perpetrators to book," she added. According to Karandlaje, the Congress government had prepared a proposal to drop the 43 cases and place it before the Cabinet, but public outcry and a legal petition forced the Karnataka High Court to halt the decision. The MP further questioned the silence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on the issue, alleging that senior ministers were either complicit or indifferent. She said this is the first time Karnataka has seen a government so determined to protect the guilty rather than the victims. She also alleged that Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara was himself embroiled in legal troubles related to the Ranya Rao case and was in no position to uphold law and order in the state. Karandlaje linked the attempted case withdrawals to a broader breakdown in governance. "District ministers are not visiting the districts. The CM is holed up in Bengaluru or flies to Mysuru in a chopper. No reviews are being conducted, no accountability exists. Officials are operating without direction or fear of consequence," she alleged. She warned that if such trends continue unchecked, Karnataka would become a haven for criminal elements emboldened by political protection. "This government is not for the people. It is for a select few — those with influence, those with muscle. The rest of Karnataka is being left to fend for itself," Karandlaje said. The Karnataka government has yet to issue a formal response to the High Court's intervention or to Karandlaje’s allegations. (The Karnataka High Court on Thursday set aside the Government order, directing public prosecutors to withdraw 43 criminal cases registered/pending against persons accused of various offences including rioting, attempt to murder, stated to include highly influential persons including politicians, in breach of Section 321 of Criminal Procedure Code. (Among them were criminal prosecutions related to the Hubballi riots, where mobs allegedly attacked a police station, as well as cases involving serious charges such as attempt to murder, rioting, and assault on police officers...////...