The Mangaluru cooker blast case was the BJP government's attempt to divert attention from the vote gate, alleged KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar during a press interaction in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Shivakumar was referring to the Mangaluru cooker blast that occurred in an autorickshaw injuring the driver and the passenger, on November 19. A day after the incident, Karnataka DGP and IGP Praveen Sood confirmed that it was not an accident but an “act of terror”. The state police also identified the suspect as one Shariq, the passenger of the autorickshaw, a native of Thirthahalli in Shivamogga.
The Congress chief accused BJP of having planted the case to play on people's emotions for its political gains. "In the last three years of governance, you (BJP) did nothing significant and indulged in diversionary tactic. The BJP government claimed it was a cooker blast. Where was the cooker? Where did the terrorist come from? You planted it and the DG visited the spot with great urgency. It (the cooker blast case) was an attempt to divert the attention from vote-gate (deletion of names from the electoral rolls). You think people are fools? Today, you are raking up emotions for your gains," said Shivakumar.
Meanwhile, BJP has demanded a public apology from the KPCC chief for his remarks.
BJP spokesperson S.Prakash said, "It is unfortunate that D.K. Shivakumar who has been a minister and MLA for so many years does not know the basics, and is coming in support of an accused in terror-related activity. Shivakumar is very dangerous and is also endangering the lives of the people of Karnataka. He should immediately apologise for his careless comment."
