The Election Commission has asked the Karnataka chief electoral officer to take immediate action against Union minister and BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje for violating the election code of conduct.
The action is based on a complaint filed by DMK against the BJP leader for publicly alleging that a person from Tamil Nadu was responsible for the IED blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on March 1.
The statement was made during a protest in Bengaluru on March 19.
“Law and order in Karnataka has deteriorated. People who come from Tamil Nadu plant bombs here, people from Delhi chant ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans and people who come from Kerala were involved in acid attacks,” Shobha Karandlaje said.
The poll panel has also directed to submit a compliance report on the matter within 48 hours.
The DMK stated in its complaint to the Election Commission of India that the minister’s statement portrayed the people of Tamil Nadu as “extremists”.
Her remarks had drawn sharp criticism from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and other DMK leaders.
“Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of the BJP,” Stalin said in a social media post.
As the statement went viral, the BJP leader later apologised for her remarks and said she was withdrawing her comments.
Meanwhile, the Madurai police has filed an FIR against her for “promoting enmity” between different groups.
