A war of words broke out between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje over his statement linking the people of Tamil Nadu to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast.
CM Stalin condemned the comments of the Union Minister and demanded legal action against him. Karandlje hit back and said that Stalin practices “appeasement politics”. However, he apologized for his remarks.
People of Tamil Nadu plant bombs in Karnataka: Shobha Karandlaje
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Tuesday targeted the Congress government over the deteriorating law and order situation in Karnataka and alleged that people from Tamil Nadu come to the state and plant bombs.
During the protest by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the incident of beating a businessman for playing ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ during ‘Azaan’ in Bengaluru on Sunday, Shobha accused the Congress government of indulging in ‘vote bank politics’ and Accused of hurting the sentiments of Hindus.
The BJP candidate from Bengaluru North told reporters here, “Law and order in Karnataka has become very bad. People coming from Tamil Nadu plant bombs here, people coming from Delhi raise slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ and people coming from Kerala carry out acid attacks.” He alleged that Hindus are paying the price of Congress’s ‘vote bank politics’.
Union Minister apologized
Seeing the controversy escalating, Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje apologized. She tweeted, “I want to make it clear to my Tamil brothers and sisters that my words did not have the meaning that was inferred.
Nevertheless, I recognize that my comments have hurt some people – and for that I apologize. My comments were solely for those undergoing training in the Krishnagiri forest who were linked to the Rameshwaram cafe blast.
I apologize from the bottom of my heart to anyone in Tamil Nadu who has been hurt. Furthermore, I withdraw my previous comments.”
Stalin’s counterattack
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin condemned the remarks of the Union Minister. Stalin said on ‘X’, “I strongly condemn the absurd statement of BJP’s Union Minister Shobha.
To make such claims one must either be an NIA officer or be closely associated with the Rameshwaram cafe blast.”
He said, “Clearly he has no right to make such claims. People of Tamil and Kannada communities alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of BJP.”