BENGALURU: Two days after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa warned of strict action against anyone trying to communalise COVID-19, two BJP MLAs including the Chief Minister's political secretary called for "non-cooperating" jamaatis to be shot dead.
The Congress has now asked the Chief Minister to walk the talk and take action against Honalli MLA and CM's political secretary MP Renukacharya and Bijapur MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal.
Thoroughly displeased with Yediyurappa's statements warning people against the vilification of the Muslim community for spread of COVID-19 over Tabhligi Jamaat incident, Yatnal-who is infamous for controversies- asked for Jamaatis to be shot down.
"Warning of legal action should be issued to religious fanatics spreading coronavirus and the religious-political leaders who are inhumanly justifying them, not to patriotic communities. Give the Tablighi Jamaat Jihadis a final warning and shoot them down if they don't cooperate. If This sounds inciteful to you then take action against me," Basanagouda Patil Yatnal said.
Following his tweet, many twitter users who were baiting BS Yediyurappa for his support to the minority community campaigned for Yatnal to be made Chief Minister of Karnataka. BS Yediyurappa's political secretary MP Renukacharya- who was caught on camera threatening minority community of consequences during anti-CAA protests earlier this year- also called 'hiding' jamaatis "anti-nationals" and called for them to be shot down.
"It is a fact that people are troubled due to lockdown. Chief Minister is working very hard even at his age. Muslims who have returned after taking part in the Tablighi Jammat, refusing to get treatment at hospitals are traitors. Shoot down those who are refusing to respond to treatment and are moving about slyly. Don't protect them. Innocent people are regretting because of these anti-nationals," MP Reukacharya tweeted.
He added that not all minorities were traitors and terrorists but a few who went into "hiding" after returning from the Nizamuddin Jamat were bringing disrepute to the community.
As if to discredit the two MLAs' claim of "hiding jamaatis", Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said that all those who had visited the jamaat from Karnataka had been traced and quarantined already. "More than 1300 persons from Karnataka had attended the congregation of Tablhigi jamaat in Nizamuddin, Delhi out of which 276 in Bengaluru and 482 in other districts have been identified and quarantined. The information has been gathered about those who have travelled to other states too," Yediyurappa said.
Following the statements by the BJP MLAs, Congress has demanded that the Chief Minister follow through with his assurance and initiate action against the duo.
"Yatnal and Renukacharya are targeting minorities. Their statements are an attempt to paint a picture as if minorities alone are responsible for the spread of Coronavirus. It is inflammatory to call for minorities to be shot dead. It is a criminal offence. They should be booked and arrested for their comments," Siddaramaiah, Congress Legislative Party Chief said.
Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad too quoted Renukacharya's tweets asking Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa what action will be taken against him for his statements.