Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 14 : Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday condemned the Congress government in Karnataka for withdrawing cases against individuals he referred to as "Islamic fundamentalist elements." According to Joshi, these individuals were involved in violent incidents, including an attack on a police station.
Speaking to reporters, Joshi said, "The Congress party government in Karnataka has withdrawn very serious cases of Islamic fundamentalist elements. I want to bring it to the knowledge of the country through you that this was an attack."
Joshi explained that the cases were filed against individuals who allegedly attempted to kill police officers and burn down a police station. These cases were initially filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a law used to address activities deemed anti-national or harmful to the government.
He emphasised the severity of the charges, saying that the accused had been denied bail multiple times by various courts, including the trial court, high court, and Supreme Court.
He expressed outrage at the decision to drop these cases, and said, "In spite of having all such facts before them, they have withdrawn the case against them, which is a most condemnable thing. It means the Congress party is trying to join hands for their vote bank politics with the people who are anti-social, anti-national, and where there are very serious cases under UAPA. I strongly condemn this."
Joshi also criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for recent comments in which Kharge labelled the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a "terrorist party." Joshi responded by pointing to past incidents involving Congress leaders.
"Kharge talks about BJP as a terrorist party. May I remind him that your party supremo, Sonia Gandhi, was in tears when the Batla House incident took place, where a terrorist was shot dead by the police," Joshi added.
The Batla House encounter refers to a controversial police operation in 2008, during which two suspected terrorists were killed, and one police officer lost his life.