new Delhi: Karnataka Home Minister Araga Gyanendra, who had earlier said that a boy was stabbed to death in Bengaluru last night because he refused to speak in Urdu, later backtracked and apologized for the statement.
In an alleged road rage case, 22-year-old Chandru was murdered by a group of people in Bengaluru’s JJ Nagar police station area on Tuesday night.
After the incident, Gyanendra said on Wednesday that Chandru was killed because he could not speak in Urdu to the accused persons. News agency IANS said, “The murder has been carried out for refusing to speak in Urdu and insisting to speak in Kannada language. He was stabbed to death. The police have arrested some people and Search is on for the other accused.” The Home Minister is saying
“It is a barbaric incident. After the brawl, they suddenly stabbed him and killed him. I have asked the police to initiate action,” he said.
However, soon after making the statement, Gyanendra clarified that his statement was false. “I spoke after receiving preliminary information. The police have given a detailed report. It is a case of road rage. My statement was wrong. As the Home Minister, I have to speak the truth. The road accident is caused by murder, “They said.
Meanwhile, the minister’s communal statement has been heavily criticized by the opposition members.
Hitting out at the statement, opposition leader Siddaramaiah demanded his resignation and said, “He had made similar statements in the murder case of Bajrang Dal worker Harsh and also in the Mysuru gang rape case. He is not able to maintain the portfolio. It is unfortunate that such a person is our Home Minister.”
Siddaramaiah said, “Initially, Gyanendra had said that Harsh had criminal cases against him and later denied it. In the Mysore gang rape case, he had said why women should come to different places during odd hours “
Hitting out at Gyanendra, former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that he has stooped to the level of doing politics in murder cases.
He used the word ‘Dalit’ instead of ‘Hindu’. This is a trivial statement. They have also started carrying out political agenda in killings in the state.
However, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was on his Delhi visit on Wednesday, said he was not aware of the home minister’s remarks and would react only after getting information on it.
Confirming the incident on Tuesday night, Commissioner of Police Kamal Pant said that the incident took place when Chandru was returning home on a bike with his friend Simon Raj.
The quarrel started when his bike collided with the bike of accused Shahid. Others joined in and Chandru was stabbed in the thigh.
The accused fled the spot soon after the incident and Chandru succumbed to bleeding at Victoria Hospital.
Pant said that three people have been arrested in this connection and further investigation is on.