Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje booked on charges of promoting enmity between people of T.N., Karnataka

March 20, 2024 02:45 pm | Updated 03:21 pm IST - MADURAI

The Madurai City Police have registered a case against Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, on charges of promoting enmity between different groups of people on the grounds of language.

Ms. Karandlaje reportedly said that “people from Tamil Nadu, who come to Karnataka, get trained in Tamil Nadu and plant bombs in Karnataka.” T.N. CM M.K. Stalin had strongly condemned the Minister ‘reckless’ statement. The Minister later apologised for her statement.

Strongly condemn Union BJP Minister @ShobhaBJP's reckless statement. One must either be an NIA official or closely linked to the #RameshwaramCafeBlast to make such claims. Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this… https://t.co/wIgk4oK3dh — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) March 19, 2024

Based on a complaint from an individual, C. Thiagarajan of Kadachanenthal, the Cyber Crime police have booked the Minister under four sections – 153, 153A, 505 (1) (b) and 505 (2) -- of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

In his complaint lodged on Wednesday, Mr. Thiagarajan has said that he had seen on a television news bulletin, the statements made by Ms. Karandlaje against Tamils. Even as the probe into the Bengaluru Rameswaram Café bomb blast case was underway, the Minister had, without any basis, said that Tamil people, who were trained in Tamil Nadu, had planted bombs in Karnataka.

This statement, the complainant said, could create enmity and hatred between the people of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The Minister made a sweeping statement against Tamils portraying them as terrorists, which could incite violence against Tamils, he pointed out.

Based on his complaint, a case was registered.