Cafe blast: BJP targets Siddaramaiah govt, says failure of police intelligence evident

Bengaluru, Mar 1 (PTI) Targeting the Congress administration following the explosion at the city’s popular eatery Rameshwaram Cafe on Friday, Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra said the government’s “callousness” and the failure of police intelligence is evident in this incident.

The BJP state chief accused the government of downplaying such crimes and said it “is pushing the state into this chaos, making it a safe haven for antisocial elements.
“Deeply troubled to hear about the blast at Rameswaram Cafe in Bangalore. Praying for a swift recovery of all the injured in the incident. State govt should order a detailed enquiry and spare no efforts in apprehending the perpetrators,” Vijayendra posted on social media platform X. Vijayendra said the failure of police intelligence is also evident in this incident. “We strongly urge the police to conduct a thorough probe and eradicate these elements from the core without yielding to any political pressures,” he added. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and BJP leader R Ashoka claimed that the bomb blast at Rameshwaram Cafe was yet another glaring example of the “deteriorating law and order situation” in Karnataka ever since the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government came to power in the state.

“Wherever the Congress comes to power, the terrorists and anti-national elements feel emboldened because of its policy of unabashed and unbridled appeasement,” he alleged.
“The Congress government should first ensure ‘guarantee’ of safety and security to the people of Karnataka,” he said, taking a dig at the government’s ‘poll guarantees’ of welfare schemes.
Earlier in the day Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the incident should not be politicised and everyone should cooperate, as he assured that strict action would be taken against those involved. Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to give a free hand to the police and investigating agencies to conduct the probe and give clear answers to people of Bengaluru about the incident.

“At first, they tried the narrative of cylinder blast. Now, they are trying the narrative of business rivalry. Why can’t the Congress government allow the investigation agencies to do their job? Why preempt? Why prompt? Vote Bank compulsions?” he posted on X.