Strongly condemning Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje’s “reckless” comments against people from Tamil Nadu living in Karnataka, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday sought legal action against her. Addressing presspersons, Ms. Karandlaje reportedly said that “people from Tamil Nadu, who come to Karnataka, get trained in Tamil Nadu and plant bombs in Karnataka.”
She had also reportedly said that they had placed the bomb in the cafe, in an apparent reference to the recent incident in Bengaluru.
“Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of the BJP,” Mr. Stalin said in a social media post, accusing her of “causing threat to peace, harmony and national unity”. From the Prime Minister to cadre, “everyone in the BJP should stop engaging in this divisive politics,” he said, adding that the Election Commission should take note of the “hate speech” and take action.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami urged the EC to ensure that such hate speeches are not delivered.
Late Tuesday night, the Union Minister apologised for her remarks and posted on social media that she was retracting them. “ My remarks were solely directed towards those trained in the Krishnagiri forest, linked to the Rameswaram Cafe blast,” she said.
