On February 28, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had lashed out against BJP state President BS Yeddyurappa's statement that the preemptive strike in Pakistan's Balakot would help the BJP win 22 seats in Karnataka.
On Friday, Kumaraswamy, who was speaking at a party meeting in Mysuru, said that the BJP party workers, who were bursting crackers and celebrating the bombings, in India, were adding fuel to the fire and alienating the two communities within the country.
In a video clip, which has gone viral on social media, Kumaraswamy is heard saying, "Bombing terror cells inside Pakistan aside, by standing on the streets, distributing tea and bursting crackers in celebration of this, the BJP is making way for communal tensions within the country. For your (BJP's) political gain, you are alienating members of one community and in the coming days, this will lead to innocent lives being lost."
A day after Kumaraswamy's statement, the BJP in Karnataka has reacted strongly to it and has even called the pre-poll alliance of the Congress, JD(S) as anti-national.
"He says Indians bombing Pakistan & celebrating India’s victory will create rift between two religions in India. CM HD Kumaraswamy just reminding, you are a CM of an Indian state and not Pakistan. This statement completely exposes the anti India mindset of Mahaghatbandhan," the BJP in Karnataka tweeted.
He says “Indians bombing Pakistan & celebrating India’s victory will create rift between two religions in India”
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) March 2, 2019
CM @hd_kumaraswamy avare just reminding, you are a CM of an Indian state & not Pakistan.
This statement completely exposes the anti India mindset of #Mahaghatbandhan pic.twitter.com/hCfAuumG69
Several BJP leaders too lashed out against Kumaraswamy's statement and took to Twitter to admonish him. Chikkamagaluru MLA CT Ravi accused the CM of trying to create a rift between the two communities. "Dear CM of Haasan & Mandya HD Kumaraswamy, I don't see any reason why there will be animosity between two communities if India attacks terrorist bases in Pakistan. Why are you dividing Indians on communal lines like your alliance partner Congress?" CT Ravi questioned.
Dear CM of Haasana & Mandya @hd_kumaraswamy,
— C T Ravi (@CTRavi_BJP) March 2, 2019
I don't see any reason why there will be animosity between two Communities if India attacks Terrorist bases in Pakistan.
Why are you dividing Indians on Communal lines like your alliance partner CONgress?#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan pic.twitter.com/9TrCUNi9j4
BJP leaders also accused the Congress-JD(S) coalition of resorting to vote bank politics and claimed that the coalition was supporting Pakistan. "The act of Indians distributing sweets and celebrating bombing of terrorists in Pakistan will create rift b/w two communities in India says HDK, Vote bank politics at its best! Are they supporting Pakistan just because they have deep rooted hatred against Modi government?" Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje tweeted.
Reacting to the BJP's accusations, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy said that his words were taken out of context and that the BJP had doctored the original video to remove certain parts of his speech. "Shame on you BJP in Karnataka for misleading the people by editing and twisting my statement against the BJP to suit your ulterior motives. In my original speech, I had said, "BJP leaders are bragging as if they themselves did the attack and not our army." You edited out the term BJP," Kumaraswamy said in a tweet.
Shame on you @BJP4Karnataka for misleading the people by editing& twisting my statement against the BJP to suit your ulterior motives. In my original speech, I had said, "BJP leaders are bragging as if they themselves did the attack and not our army." You edited out the term BJP.
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) March 2, 2019
The Chief Minister went on to accuse the BJP of trying to malign his reputation by resorting to the tactics used by Pakistan and doctoring the video. Kumaraswamy also stated that the BJP was resorting to propaganda to suit its needs. "It is dangerous to edit words out of context to malign someone to suit your political gains. Your action is the same as Pakistan's, of creating a doctored propaganda video out of our hero Abhinandan's statement. My comment was on our BJP friends' attempts to gain political mileage out of our defence operations, and creating war euphoria leading to social unrest. You took it out of context and edited out words! You proved once again you are fake news experts just like our neighbouring country," Kumaraswamy added.
It is dangerous to edit words outof context to malign someone to suit your political gains.Your action is the same as Pakistan's,of creating a doctored propaganda video outof our hero #Abhinandan's statement. My comment was on our BJP friends' attempts to gain political mileage..
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) March 2, 2019
..out of our defence operations, & creating war euphoria leading to social unrest. My statement was on BJP propaganda, and not on army operations. You took it out of context and edited out words!
— H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) March 2, 2019
You proved once again you are fake news experts just like our neighbouring country.