Terrorism debate: BJP, Congress lock horns in Assembly

Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar’s statement on the Mangaluru cooker blast made some noise in the Assembly on Thursday with BJP MLA C T Ravi seeking a larger debate on terrorism.

Shivakumar was not in the House when Ravi raised the issue during Zero Hour.

“India has suffered from terrorism. This includes Islamic fundamentalism and the Left-backed Naxalism that doesn’t believe in the democratic process of voting. We’ve lost a sitting prime minister and a former prime minister to terrorism,” Ravi said.

The BJP national general secretary went on to refer to Shivakumar’s controversial statement without taking his name. “One senior member of this House, who is the president of a party, made a statement that amounts to supporting terrorism,” Ravi said, triggering Congress members.

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah called out Ravi and said he was referring to Shivakumar’s statement when he was not present in the House.

Last week, Shivakumar questioned the basis on which DG and IGP Praveen Sood described the November 19 cooker blast “an act of terror”. Shivakumar claimed there was no proper investigation to arrive at that conclusion and accused the BJP government of trying to use the blast to divert attention away from the votegate scandal.

Congress deputy leader U T Khader said his party was ready to debate terrorism. “We’re of the firm view that terrorism must be removed right from its root. But, what is your political intent?” Khader said to Ravi.

Ravi defended himself saying he did not take any names. “All I said was that such statements demoralise the police,” he said.

Home Minister Araga Jnanendra stepped in and slammed Shivakumar’s statement without naming the KPCC president. “How can he question the DGP, who is a senior police officer? The accused was involved in two previous UAPA cases. His house was raided in Mysuru,” the minister said, to which Khader asked why the accused was released from prison in the first place.

Belur JD(S) MLA K S Lingesh said terrorism had people of all faiths involved. “There are Christian terrorists and there are Hindu terrorists,” he said.