“The Congress leaders, in general, do not go to the electorate and explain their party programme but bring in extraneous issue. Besides subtle appeals to casts and sectarian feelings, apprehensions about the future of the people in general and specific communities in particular are created. The Congress hopes to thrive on a fear complex, and so has been indulging in an intensive hate-campaign. To Muslims or Christians, Congress adders say that if the Congress goes and the Jana Sangh comes in, they shall be nowhere. To the non-Sikhs in Punjab, their appeal will be to vote for the Congress lest the Akalis might not come in. And to the peasantry, whose lands they are determined to confiscate under the beguiling slogan of co-operative farming, they will proclaim themselves as the sole presenters of some imaginary plot of the ex-Zamindars and Talukdars to stage a comeback. ..But the situation today is such that the people have to prepare themselves for the exit of the Congress. Let the people realise that the Congress is not their protector. They have to perfect themselves. The Britishers also used to offer these very arguments. However, they could create a small group of toadies and people with vested interests. The Congress is also trying the same dirty trick. But it forgets that vested interests can never be the ultimate winners. National interests are bound to prevail”
–Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Your Vote – 9, Organiser, February 12, 1962
After a long spell of peace and the absence of any terror incident, a bustling, popular eating joint in Bengaluru witnessed an explosion on a Friday afternoon, March 1, 2024. Around eight people were injured in the incident. Immediately, political statements started coming about a cylinder blast to attack resulting because of the business rivalry. While Karnataka Agriculture Minister N Chaluvaraya Swamy insinuated that the BJP could be behind the IED blast, the Medical Education Minister made ‘silly trick’ remark. State Home Minister G Parameshwara, responsible for law and order, has invoked the possible ‘rivalry angle’. Chief Minister Siddaramiah went ahead with the blame game on March 3. While questioning the role of central agencies such as NIA, Intelligence Bureau and RAW, he reminded the blasts during the BJP era. Though he advised not to politicise the blast, he himself started the politicisation. What none of them talked about is the possible intent and ideology behind the blast. Why do these blasts need to be taken seriously, and what does this casual approach of the State Government signify?
The answer lies in the State Government’s overall policies and what has come out of the initial breakthrough by the National Investigation Agency.
The appeasement policy is back since the Congress Government returned to power in Karnataka. Of 135 MLAs, 90 representatives have been allocated with the Cabinet rank. Open talk of an increase in the minority Budget and withdrawal of the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022, popularly known as the anti-conversion law, have been the touting points for the State Government. The budgetary allocation of Rs 100 crore for Waqf Property Protection is nothing but a stamp on promoting Islamist aggression. The eruption of stone-pelting in Shimoga during the Eid-e-Milad procession and the blatant display of Tipu Sultan and Aurangzeb cutouts, symbols of religious supremacy, was the symptom of what was coming. The alleged sloganeering of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ by the supporters of the Congress’s Rajya Sabha winner, Syed Naseer Hussain, raised in the corridors of the State Secretariat have only encouraged the radicals.
Bengaluru saw a series of blasts in 2008 and 2013 when Popular Front was active in the coastal region. No wonder, on January 12 this year, the National Investigation Agency charge-sheeted eight persons, including a life convict and two absconders, in the Bengaluru Lashkar-eTaiba (LeT) Prison radicalisation and ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attack conspiracy case. Even in the Rameshwaram Café Blast case, the arrested suspect, Abdul Salim, has
alleged PFI links.
In the last ten years, ensuring national security, with effective measures to curb terror funding, linkages and resultant attacks, has been one of the biggest success stories of the Union Government under Prime Minister Modi. Congress has always questioned the government on legal reforms like UAPA and FCRA without understanding their implications. We get a clear picture if we go through
Pt Deendayal Ji’s assessment and prediction about the Congress party. Promoting fear complex and whitewashing radicalism are the two policies that are pushing Congress to its downfall. The Rameshwaram Café Blast is a grim reminder of what Congress proposes as an alternative to Modi’s Viksit Bharat agenda.
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