Tamil Nadu: Cops Book Karnataka BJP Leader For Claiming 'Tamil Man' Was Behind Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe Blast

A day after Union Minister of State and Karnataka BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje kicked up a row claiming a Tamil man was involved in the recent blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru, the Madurai City Police registered a case against her on charges of "promoting enmity between different groups of people on the grounds of language." 

Separately, the Election Commission of India, acting on a representation from the DMK organisation secretary R S Bharathi, directed the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka "to take immediate appropriate action" against the alleged violation of Model Code of Conduct by Shobha while addressing journalists. 

Shobha retracts comments

Late on Tuesday night, Shobha had retracted her comment and claimed that her remarks were directed towards those trained in the Krishnagiri forest, linked to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast. However, she did not explain from where she had obtained such information about training in the forests of Krishnagiri, a district in Tamil Nadu shares borders with Karnataka. 

A resident of Madurai C Thiagarajan had filed a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police saying the Minister’s comments were without basis and had the potential to create enmity and hatred between the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. 

The police registered cases against Shobha under Sections – 153, 153A, 505 (1) (b) and 505 (2) -- of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Separately, the DMK shot off a complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner arguing that the Minister’s statements constituted a violation of the election Model Code of Conduct. 

Bharathi pointed out that investigation in the blast case was underway by the NIA and so far the agency has not been able to identify the culprit. "Despite the same, the Minister has made the baseless accusation that the bomb was planted by people from Tamil Nadu," he said. 

The DMK leader said aside from promoting enmity, the remarks were a violation of the provisions of the Representation of People Act. Hence it sought appropriate action against her and the BJP.