Karnataka was a 'terrorist port' during BJP tenure: State minister Ramalinga Reddy

File Photo

Karnataka Minister Ramalinga Reddy Wednesday said that the state was a 'terrorist port' during the BJP tenure. "What did the previous government do to avoid terrorist acts in the state?" Reddy asked, responding to criticism against the Congress government following a blast at Bengaluru's Rameshwaram cafe.

"I'm not justifying the bomb blast in Bengaluru. Action should be taken against those who were involved in the blast, they should be put in jail and given ideal punishment," the minister said.

He further claimed that criminal activities have declined under the Congress government compared to the previous BJP government's tenure. "There were serial bomb blasts in 6 places during the tenure of the BJP government. There were blasts near Chinnaswamy Stadium, Malleswaram, Airport, and Mangalore when there was a BJP government. Terrorists were in the way of the BJP government. Bomb blasts and criminal activity have been very low during our period as compared to the BJP. Next, we will take full control. The police know what to do, should they ask all the BJP members to do their work?" Reddy said.

He accused the BJP of dividing people for votes. "The favoring of minorities is all a lie. The people in the country are all the same. The BJP divides the people for votes," he said.

Responding to a question about some ministers defending those who allegedly raised objectionable slogans outside Vidhan Soudha, the minister said, "Go and ask whoever said that, slogans were not shouted."

Earlier on March 4, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) handed over the blast probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has re-registered the case and started an investigation.

Over half a dozen people got injured after a low-intensity blast took place on March 1 in the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru's Whitefield area. (With inputs from ANI)