DMK files complaint with ECI against Shobha Karandlaje for ‘Tamil Nadu people plant bomb’ remark

MK Salin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) over Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje's statement, blaming ‘people of Tamil Nadu’ for the Rameshwaram Cafe blast that took place in Bengaluru on March 1. DMK chief MK Stalin had earlier condemned Karandlaje's statement and called it a “rhetoric statement” that would be rejected by Tamilians and Kannadigas alike. 

The party has now filed a complaint with the election commission, adding that the statement was in violation of the MCC (Model Code of Conduct), and was made to spread enmity between Kannadigas and the people of Tamil Nadu. Karandlaje had said that “people from Tamil Nadu come here (Karnataka), get trained here and plant bombs here”. 

DMK said Karandlaje's statement was baseless considering the investigation by National Investigation Agency (NIA) is still underway. “The statement attempts to promote feelings of enmity and hatred between the people of Karnataka and the people of Tamil Nadu, and has been made for the furtherance of the prospects of the election of the Hon’able Minister. It generalises the people of Tamil Nadu as extremists, and seeks to create hostility and enmity between two communities, i.e., the Tamilians and Kannadigas,” the complaint stated.

The complaint further stated that Karandlaje's statement has the potential to engender violence against the Tamil community. The statement was of grave nature, DMK stated. 

It said that the statement further amplified social media and electronic print media, harming the relations between the two communities. DMK referred to Karandlaje's statement as “hate speech”. 

DMK highlighted Article 324 of the Constitution of India, through which the ECI has the power to enforce MCC and ban candidates from campaigning for violation of the model conduct. The party urged the ECI to take appropriate action against Karandlaje and the BJP for violating the MCC.

Following widespread criticism after her remarks, Karandlaje apologised for her statement. “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 Tamilnadu effected, From the depths of my heart, I ask your forgiveness. Furthermore, I retract my previous comments,” she had said.