Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy was at the centre of a controversy on Tuesday after a video went viral in which he is heard apparently instructing the police to "mercilessly" kill the assailants of a Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prakash.
"He (Prakash) was a good man. I do not know why they killed him. Shoot them (killers) mercilessly, no problem," Kumaraswamy is heard telling someone on phone in the video that went viral on social media.
As his remarks were criticised, the Chief Minister said, "It (kill assailants mercilessly) was not my order. I was emotional at that moment. They (killers) are the reason for two murders and they were in jail. They came out on bail two days ago and killed another person. This is how they are misusing bail."
Prakash, a leader of the ruling party, was murdered by unidentified assailants while he was travelling in his car in Maddur on Monday.
Kumaraswamy has ordered a probe into the incident and instructed the police to take all necessary measures to ensure that such incidents are not recurring.
Kumaraswamy's comments were criticised by leader of the Opposition BJP Shobha Karandlaje.
"CM HDK orders for anarchy & lawlessness by giving direct order of shoot out on camera!! A clear case of provoking& instigating the system. Earlier he had called to create anarchy by openly calling for violence Complete chaos & dictatorship in Karnataka Highly condemnable act!!," tweeted Karandlaje, an MP.
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