Even as a national debate has broken out following the instances of alleged multiple molestation on New Year’s Eve in Bengaluru, the Karnataka government’s legal advisor, Brijesh Kalappa, has sparked fresh controversy by claiming that the BJP is playing up the incidents to embarrass the Congress government in the state.
In a post on social media, Kalappa accused the BJP of trying to bring the state government’s capability into question by publicising these cases just ahead of the upcoming Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event. He also accused the media of helping the BJP in this.
He also brought up the case of the mob assault of a Tanzanian student, which had erupted during the Global Investor’s Meet last year. He alleged that while BJP leaders had condemned the state for the attack, they changed their stance once the GIM was completed, and denounced the victims.
He alleged that, “A similar pattern is being followed in the run up to Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.”
Here is Kalappa’s statement:
“The last time there was so much focus on the safety of women in Bengaluru was on the sidelines of the Global Investors Meet after the so called attack on a Tanzanian Citizen.
Sushma Swaraj had tweeted, Nirmala Sitaraman had denounced Karnataka etc.
After GIM, BJP Ministers led by Sadananda Gowda were the first to condemn the victims. The Tanzanian ambassador had gone through the events and given an absolutely clean chit to the State Government.
A similar pattern is being followed in the run up to Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. It is clear that the BJP deliberately wants to spread the message that the State Government is incapable of holding a major international event in the City- just as they did during GIM last year.
The main person who was behind the stripping of the Tanzanian Citizen turned out to be a BJP member.
It is only the National Media that keeps getting fooled all the time. Or are they deliberately getting fooled?!
BJP Leaders should realise that while trying to give the ruling Congress a bad name, they are giving Bengaluru a terrible reputation. Kindly see the BJP Spokesperson's FB post in this light.”
However, Kalappa was slammed by social media users for his statement, who criticised the politician for giving the incidents a political turn, even while the perpetrators of the violence are yet to be caught.
“Come on Brijesh Kalappa first take action and then speak no blame game,” said one user.
"Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned" .... politicising when the city is sympathising with the victims and showing their anger against the ineffectiveness of authorities,” accused another.
“Brijesh Kalappa, Please ask CM Siddharamaiah to censure his Home Minister and order a comprehensive but quick probe into who were behind these incidents of organized thuggery and barbarism and have the culprits arrested and prosecuted and the instigators exposed and chargesheeted. That would be the most appropriate and most effective response to these shameful incidents and the negative publicity that has been generated thereby. There is just no point in engaging in scoring political points on such issues and risking political capital only to play into the hands of your political opponents,” a third commentor advised Kalappa.