The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday termed Congress leader Shakeel Ahmad”s comment on the Bangalore blast as ”unwarranted”, and asked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to reprimand her spokesperson.
BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said that it is extremely unfortunate that the Congress is playing politics on the issue of terrorism and blasts.
“The comment of a Congress spokesperson is completely uncalled for and the Bharatiya Janata Party condemns it. I would like to ask the Congress President whether their spokespersons are authorised to make such comments even on the blasts. Does vote has any relationship with the blasts or acts of terror?” asked Hussain.
“The Congress eyes upon votes in everything, as if terrorism is not an issue for the Congress, but vote is an important one. The comment is uncalled for and the Congress President should reprimand her spokesperson because this statement will act as a salt on the wounds of the victims,” he added.
Congress Party, however, downplayed its leader Shakeel Ahmad”s comment, saying terror attacks should not be made political.
Congress General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi said bomb explosions and incidents related to terror are a national problem and also an international problem to some extent.
“We see terrorism from that perspective. It is a matter of grave concern, sorrow and a challenge to the entire nation. We must not see them (terror attacks) from the perspective of political gain or loss,” said Dwivedi.
“Whatever I am saying is on the party”s behalf,” he added, when asked whether Ahmad”s remark is his personal opinion or that of the Congress Party.
Ahmad earlier in the day tweeted that the explosion near the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Bangalore will help the party in next month”s assembly polls.
“If the blast near BJP”s office in Bangalore is a terror attack, it will certainly help the BJP politically on the eve of election,” he said on twitter.
At least 16 people, including eight cops were injured in the blast outside BJP”s office in Bangalore.
Bangalore Police Commissioner Raghavendra H. Auradkar said the police suspect that the blast was caused by explosives strapped to a bike.
“Initially, we were told it was a cylinder explosion, but we feel it was a motorcycle blast. Two are critically injured,” he said.
Cars parked at the office in the Malleswaram area of Bangalore, a crowded residential neighbourhood, were gutted in the blast.
The injured were initially taken to the KC General hospital. Patients with severe injuries have been shifted to Mallige Hospital.
The blast has taken place just weeks before Karnataka goes for assembly polls.
There was a huge crowd of BJP workers at the party office in Bangalore as today was the last day to file nominations. The polls are scheduled on May 5 and the counting of votes will be taken up on May 8. (ANI)