Are you in favour of terrorists or patriots? Karnataka CM asks Kharge and Gandhis
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday asked Congress chief M Mallikarjun Kharge and former presidents Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, whether they are "in favour of terrorists or patriots".
The Chief Minister was reacting to Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar's statement seemingly suggesting that the Mangaluru pressure cooker blast was "orchestrated" by the BJP government to divert attention away from the voter data theft scandal.
"Congress' policy is such that earlier too they have trivialised terror incidents and have supported terrorists. They had criticised the hanging of a terrorist. This is part of their appeasement strategy for elections. They feel that they will get minority votes with such statements, and have used the same old technique. But people are aware, such things won't work anymore," Bommai told reporters here.
"I want to ask Congress party -- Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi -- they should make it clear whether they are in favour of terrorists who disturb peace and order, or in favour of patriots who serve this country," he said.
Such "playful acts" and statements demoralises the country and its police forces, the Chief Minister further said, adding that "when terrorists are held with evidence, questioning the procedure and investigation will boost the morale of the terrorists."
Addressing a media interaction on Thursday, Shivakumar referring to the November 19 blast in Mangaluru said: "Who asked the director general of police to declare that it was a terrorist act without investigation? Who is the terrorist? Was it an act of terrorism like in Mumbai, Delhi, Kashmir or Pulwama?"
His statement has elicited sharp reactions from the ruling BJP.
Pointing out that blast accused Mohammed Shariq had everything required to make a bomb inside a pressure cooker, which exploded and it was clear that the man had the intent to cause a blast in Mangaluru, Bommai said, "He (Shariq) had changed his identity multiple times. He was caught two-three times in earlier cases. It was established that he had known terror links, including overseas."
For the Karnataka PCC president to say that it was a cover-up, doesn't befit his position, Bommai said.
Reacting to Shivakumar's claim that the Mangaluru blast was used by the BJP to divert attention away from the voter data theft scandal, the Chief Minister said it was the Congress government that gave orders to non-profit organisation Chilume Trust in 2017. "Shivakumar shouldn't forget this."
"Congress has the habit of creating illegal votes. We will know clearly this time how many outsiders are there in which constituency. It is because the Election Commission is using new technology to identify double and triple votes," he said, adding that investigations are on in the case and arrests have been made.
Last month, the Congress had alleged that Chilume Trust, assigned by the Bengaluru civic agency to spread awareness among voters, collected details of the voters such as name, mother tongue, gender, religion, caste, voter ID number, and the Aadhaar number.
The Bengaluru city police, probing the case, have arrested the co-founder of Chilume Trust Krishnappa Ravikumar, the main accused.
Later speaking in Mandya, Chief Minister Bommai questioned Congress as to whether it was its policy to sympathise with terrorists, whenever terror acts took place.
He said, "Such things don't happen in any other country... here Congress politicises all issues. On the China border issue, they speak by demoralising our soldiers, they demoralise police here. This is not the way a national party should behave on the issue of national security. They have lost their mind with losing power," he added.
Bommai also noted that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is investigating the case, adding that, "they don't take cases just like that, they only take up cases linked to national security and terror-related ones".
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Hasina's son claims Yunus govt weaponising judiciary for carrying out “political witch hunt”
Washington (PTI): Sanjeeb Wazed, son of deposed Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has accused the Muhammad Yunus led interim government of “weaponising the judiciary” for carrying out a “political witch hunt” against the Awami League leadership.
Wazed's allegations, as a long post on X, came two days after the interim government on Monday said it has sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi seeking Hasina's extradition from India.
Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 when she fled Bangladesh following a massive student-led protest that toppled her Awami League's (AL) 16-year regime.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide.”
“The judges and prosecutors appointed by unelected Yunus led regime to conduct farcical trial process through International Crimes Tribunal makes it a political witch hunt that forsakes justice and marks another ongoing onslaught to persecute Awami League leadership,” Wazed said in his post on Tuesday.
An IT entrepreneur, Wazed is based in the US and has been an ICT adviser in Hasina's government.
“The kangaroo tribunal and subsequent request for extradition comes while hundreds of leaders and activists are extrajudicially killed, framing of outrageous murder charges, illegal incarceration of thousands by law enforcement and violent attacks including looting vandalism and arson going on with impunity everyday fuelled by denial of the regime,” he added.
On Monday, India confirmed receiving the 'note verbale' or diplomatic communication from the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi but refrained from commenting on it.
Under the provisions of the India-Bangladesh extradition treaty, extradition may be refused if the offence is one of a “political character.”
Bangladesh's de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain said Dhaka wants Hasina back to face the judicial process.
Wazed further accused that the chief prosecutor of ICT Tribunal Tajul Islam appointed by Yunus regime on December 22, despite proven records of defending war criminals, “reportedly spread deliberate disinformation campaign” against Hasina by claiming that Interpol issued red notice against her, and termed it as “a desperate bid to extradite her and hold farcical trial to serve the interest of Dr Yunus.”
“But the very prosecutor later altered his statement following media exposure of the outright lie and now officially sent a request to India for the extradition,” Hasina's son said.
“We reiterate our position that every single incident of human rights violation between July and August needs to be investigated in a free and fair manner but the Yunus led regime weaponised the judiciary, and we express no confidence in the justice system,” he alleged.
Last month, in an address to the nation on the completion of 100 days of the interim government, Yunus said Bangladesh will seek Hasina's extradition. “We must ensure justice in every killing… We will also ask India to send back fallen autocrat Sheikh Hasina,” he had said then.
Yunus, who assumed office on August 8, claimed that about 1,500 people, including students and workers, were killed while 19,931 others were wounded during the protest against the Hasina government.
India has expressed concern as there have been a spate of attacks on minorities including on the Hindu community in Bangladesh in the last few months.
In recent weeks, Hasina has accused the Yunus-led interim government of perpetrating “genocide” and failing to protect minorities, especially Hindus, since her ouster.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka two weeks back during which he conveyed to the Bangladeshi side India's concerns, especially those related to the safety and welfare of minorities.
