Bengaluru, Dec 16: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday asked Congress chief M Mallikarjun Kharge and former presidents Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, whether they are “in favour of terrorists or patriots”. The Chief Minister was reacting to Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar’s statement seemingly suggesting that the Mangaluru pressure cooker blast was “orchestrated” by the BJP government to divert attention away from the voter data theft scandal.
“Congress’ policy is such that earlier too they have trivialised terror incidents and have supported terrorists. They had criticised the hanging of a terrorist. This is part of their appeasement strategy for elections. They feel that they will get minority votes with such statements, and have used the same old technique. But people are aware, such things won’t work anymore,” Bommai told reporters here.
“I want to ask Congress party — Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi — they should make it clear whether they are in favour of terrorists who disturb peace and order, or in favour of patriots who serve this country,” he said. Such “playful acts” and statements demoralises the country and its police forces, the Chief Minister further said, adding that “when terrorists are held with evidence, questioning the procedure and investigation will boost the morale of the terrorists.”
Addressing a media interaction on Thursday, Shivakumar referring to the November 19 blast in Mangaluru said: “Who asked the director general of police to declare that it was a terrorist act without investigation? Who is the terrorist? Was it an act of terrorism like in Mumbai, Delhi, Kashmir or Pulwama?” His statement has elicited sharp reactions from the ruling BJP.
