Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly refuted allegations of political opportunism leveled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the wake of the explosion at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru. Addressing the media on Saturday, Siddaramaiah condemned the blast and emphasized the need to refrain from politicizing such incidents.
“BJP is doing politics. Bomb blasts happened during their governance as well. Were they appeasing Muslims then? I condemn terrorists. We must not do politics,” Siddaramaiah stated during a press conference in Mysore.
Providing details on the incident, Siddaramaiah disclosed that the explosion was orchestrated by a masked individual who arrived at the cafe via a bus. “A blast has indeed happened. One man who wore a mask and cap came on the bus. Ordered Rave idly at the counter. Then he went and sat in a place. He kept the timer and went. 9 are injured. All are out of danger,” he explained.
Expressing his intention to visit the victims in the hospital and inspect the blast site, Siddaramaiah assured that his government is committed to bringing the perpetrator to justice. “We don’t know who he is. His photos have come. Getting off the bus, taking tokens sitting there, and keeping the bag there. At the earliest, we’ll find him,” he affirmed.
Regarding allegations of pro-Pakistan slogans raised by supporters of Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain, Siddaramaiah emphasized that his government awaits the Forensic Science Laboratory report. “If the FSL report comes, we’ll take action accordingly. We are not trying to protect anyone. We’ll punish those who have committed crimes,” he asserted.
The Karnataka police have intensified their investigation into the blast, with images of the suspect captured by CCTV cameras at Rameshwaram Cafe and nearby locations. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara stated that it is too early to determine the involvement of any terror outfit, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive investigation.
Authorities are also examining possible links between Friday’s explosion and the November 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast, sources revealed.
