Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje's remark that the suspect involved in the March 1 blast at The Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru was from Tamil Nadu sparked outrage, prompting her to offer an apology on Tuesday. A blast at the popular Rameshwaram cafe in Karnataka's Bengaluru on March 1 had left nine people injured. While it was initially suspected to be a cylinder blast, it was later confirmed to be a bomb explosion.
The row erupted after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reshared a video of Shobha Karandlaje, in which she could be heard saying, “People from Tamil Nadu come to Karnataka, get trained there, and plant bombs."
"They placed a bomb in the cafe,” Karandlaje said, referring to the bomb blast at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1.
Taking offence at Karandlaje's provocative claims, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the Union Minister lacks the authority to make such assertions. "One must either be an NIA official or closely linked to the #RameshwaramCafeBlast to make such claims," CM Stalin wrote in his post on X.
Responding to the chief minister, Shobha Karandlaje, in a post on X, reiterated her statements, citing recent searches by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the state.
“Mr. Stalin, What has become of Tamil Nadu under your rule? Your appeasement politics have emboldened radical elements to attack on Hindus & BJP workers day and night. Frequent bomb blasts bearing the hallmarks of terror outfits like ISIS explode while you turn a blind eye,” the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare said.
As outrage grew over her statements, Shobha Karandlaje issued an apology, saying that her "words were meant to shine light, not cast shadows."
"To my Tamil brothers & sisters, I wish to clarify that my words were meant to shine light, not cast shadows. Yet I see that my remarks brought pain to some - and for that, I apologize. My remarks were solely directed towards those trained in the Krishnagiri forest, linked to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast. To anyone from Tamil Nadu effected, From the depths of my heart, I ask your forgiveness. Furthermore, I retract my previous comments," Karandlaje said in a post on 'X'.
Calling for legal action against Karandlaje and asking the Election Commission to take note, CM Stalin had said, "Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of BJP. I also urge for an appropriate legal action against Shobha for causing threat to peace, harmony and national unity. From the Prime Minister to cadre, everyone in the BJP should stop engaging in this dirty divisive politics at once. ECI must take note of this hate speech and initiate stringent action immediately."
Last week, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) detained one Shabbir from Ballary in Karnataka in connection with Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, sources said.
