Staff and customers at Rameswaram Cafe after a blast, in Bengaluru, Friday, March 1, 2024. At least nine people were injured in the blast, according to police.
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: The Opposition BJP on Friday pounded the Congress by attributing the blast at Rameshwaram Cafe to the government’s “appeasement politics” and sought a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Prominent BJP leaders queued up to link the blast with the support Congress enjoys from minorities.
“The ‘My Brother’ policy of the Congress... the politics of minority appeasement has put the safety of citizens at risk,” BJP state president B Y Vijayendra told a news conference, referring to Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar reportedly calling the Mangaluru cooker blast accused as “my brother”.
Vijayendra charged that there have been a series of incidents after the Congress came to power. “Hindu homes were targeted during Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Shivamogga, a Congress MLA sought the release of ‘innocent’ accused of rioting in the DJ Halli-KG Halli case and pro-Pakistan slogans were raised inside the Vidhana Soudha,” he said.
The blast at Rameshwaram cafe is an “extension” of the ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogan raised in Vidhana Soudha, Vijayendra said.
“The followers of a Congress MP shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’. The government said action will be taken after it receives the forensics report. The report has come and it confirms the pro-Pakistan sloganeering. But the government is hiding it,” Vijayendra claimed.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka also slammed the Congress’ “appeasement” politics. “The mentality created by the Congress is: vote for us and we’ll safeguard you irrespective of what you do,” he said. “I request DK Shivakumar...it’s okay if you don’t create Brand Bengaluru. But don’t make it Bomb Bengaluru,” he said.
Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya asked the Congress government to allow investigators to do their job. "First, they tried the narrative of cylinder blast. Now, they are trying the narrative of business rivalry. Why preempt? Why prompt? Vote-bank compulsions?" he said.
BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh claimed that Bengaluru and Karnataka are paying "a huge price for electing a government which prides itself in extreme appeasement at every turn".