The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The Madurai City Police have initiated legal proceedings against Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje, accusing her of fostering discord among linguistic groups. This action follows her controversial assertion that individuals from Tamil Nadu visiting Karnataka were implicated in terrorist activities within the state. The statement, which suggested that these individuals received training in Tamil Nadu before engaging in bomb-planting activities in Karnataka, has sparked widespread condemnation.
Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, criticized Karandlaje’s remarks as ‘reckless,’ prompting the Minister to issue an apology. Despite her retraction, a formal complaint lodged by C. Thiagarajan from Kadachanenthal has led to the registration of a case under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those pertaining to the promotion of enmity between different groups (153, 153A), making statements conducive to public mischief (505 (1) (b)), and statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred, or ill-will between classes (505 (2)).
Thiagarajan’s complaint was catalyzed by his viewing of a news segment that featured Karandlaje’s contentious comments regarding Tamils in the context of the ongoing investigation into the Bengaluru Rameswaram Café bomb blast. He argued that such unfounded allegations could potentially sow seeds of discord and animosity between the residents of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, framing Tamil individuals in a negative light and potentially inciting violence against them.
The case registration against the Union Minister marks a significant moment, reflecting the tensions that can arise from statements perceived as divisive, especially in the politically and culturally sensitive landscapes of states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.