 "Shobha Karandlaje")
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday directed the Chief Election Commissioner of Karnataka to take immediate action against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje based on the complaint filed by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Karandlaje landed in a soup after making remarks related to the Bengaluru cafe blast and accusing the Tamilians of planting bombs in Karnataka.
The ECI has sought a compliance report from the Karnataka CEC within 48 hours.
Why is Shobha Karandlaje in trouble?
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru this week, the BJP leader reportedly said, "people from Tamil Nadu who come to Karnataka, get trained in Tamil Nadu and plant bombs in Karnataka", and that they had placed the bomb in the cafe, in an alleged reference to the Bengaluru cafe blast. She had also referred to people who come from Delhi, saying they chant 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans and people from Kerala were involved in acid attacks". But, the reference to either the Bengaluru cafe blast or the hint that Tamilians planted the bomb did not sit well with the political leaders and the public alike.
Following her statement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin strongly condemned Karandlaje's statements. Attacking the BJP, Stalin said that the BJP leaders should stop engaging in divisive politics and appealed to the ECI to take note of the "hate speech" and take action.
Accusing Karandlaje of threatening peace, harmony and national unity, the Tamil Nadu CM said in a social media post, "Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of the BJP,".
Complaints against the BJP leader
On March 20, the Madurai Cyber Crime police filed a case against Karandlaje on the charges of promoting enmity between different groups of people on the basis of language. The complaint against the Minister by an individual, C. Thiagarajan of Kadachanenthal, pointed out that the sweeping statement against Tamilians, portraying them as terrorists, could incite violence against Tamils in Karnataka.
Following suit, the DMK also filed a police complaint against Karandlaje. According to reports, DMK's organising secretary, R S Bharathi, had filed a complaint with the Election Commission saying that the Minister's words amounted to instilling hatred in the Kannadiga community towards members of the Tamil community and were in blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The party also said in its complaint that the statement generalised the people of Tamil Nadu as "extremists".
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The statement by the Union Minister even irked the former NDA ally AIADMK. Demanding action, the AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami urged the Election Commission to make sure that such hate speeches are not delivered.
"Apology"
After the huge outcry, the Union Minister for State apologised for her remarks late on Tuesday night. "My remarks were solely directed towards those trained in the Krishnagiri forest, linked to The Rameswaram Cafe blast," she posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Bengaluru cafe blast
At least ten people were injured in a blast that occurred at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Whitefield, Bengaluru on March 1. Earlier last week, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had detained a suspect. The suspect, identified as Shabbir, was apprehended from Karnataka's Ballari district.
The police probe had indicated that an IED device with a timer was used to carry out the explosion. The Bengaluru Police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the cafe.
