Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Wednesday apologised for her remarks over the deteriorating law and order situation in Tamil Nadu after March 1 blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru. Karandlaje slammed the Congress government in Karnataka and claimed that people from Tamil Nadu plant bombs in the state, remarks which drew criticism from neighbouring state's Chief Minister M K Stalin.
"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'.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India over Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje's recent statement.
What led to controversy
"Law and order in Karnataka has deteriorated. People who come from Tamil Nadu plant bombs here, people from Delhi chant 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans and people who come from Kerala were involved in acid attacks," the BJP Bengaluru North candidate said. "The person who should have been in jail attacks a man for playing Hanuman Chalisa. Where is law and order in the state? Where are you Home Minister G Parameshwara? Why are you silent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah?" she asked. Hindus are paying the price for the Congress' 'vote bank politics', she alleged.
