BELAGAVI: Condemning the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on the afternoon of April 22, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the ghastly incident. He asked why not even a single policeman or soldier was anywhere at the site when the attack occurred.
“Is it not a security failure? What was the country’s intelligence and security apparatus doing when the attack took place? Is it not the failure of Modi and Shah,” Siddaramaiah asked, reiterating that three of the victims who were brutally gunned down by the terrorists were from Karnataka.
The chief minister, who was addressing a Congress protest against the BJP-led Centre over price rise, said when he was questioned about Modi’s failure to contain such acts of terror, the BJP began targeting him to cover up its own mistakes.
“They are twisting my statements, claiming that I said there shouldn’t be a war at this moment. Actually, when I was asked by reporters in Mysuru whether there was a need for war, I said there was no need for a war. However, my statement was later twisted. The BJP was trying to blame me for no reason, and some media channels are also supporting it. The channels should not indulge in such things,” he said.
Siddaramaiah stated that he has always been in favour of building a strong nation, with people of all sections staying united. On the other hand, BJP is in favour of only the corporate class and industrialists, while Congress works for the welfare of the poor.
'Increase defence spending, declare war on Pakistan'
With Chief Minister Siddararamaiah reportedly making a U-turn on his statement, that he did not want war with Pakistan, in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, his financial adviser and Yelburga MLA Basavaraj Rayareddi on Monday went a step ahead, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go on a decisive war and put an end to terrorism.
“The prime minister should call a special session of Parliament to take a decision on declaring war and get an approval to increase defence spending from Rs 6.81 lakh crore to Rs 12 lakh crore,” he suggested, speaking to reporters.
He said the prime minister should also take a delegation of the Opposition to Kashmir to assess the situation. Rayareddi further added that the hideouts of terrorists in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir should be bombed. Pakistan should also be dragged to the International Court of Justice, Rayareddi stated.