From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Mysuru, Mar 2: The investigation into the Rameswaram Café bomb blast in Bengaluru has been expedited and the guilty will be identified and punished, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in Mysuru on Saturday.

Speaking to media persons, he said the opposition BJP has always been targeting the minority community and blaming the Congress for minority appeasement. If the allegation about the bomb blast in the Bengaluru café is due to minority appeasement as alleged by BJP, he said how the cooker blast incident happened in Mangaluru when BJP was in power.

“Was the Mangaluru cooker blast incident under BJP rule also due to minority appeasement?’’ he asked advising the BJP to have patience until the investigation report is completed.

The Chief Minister said the initial investigations and the verification of CCTV footage near the Rameswaram café have revealed that the suspected person had gone to the café in a bus and was wearing a cap and mask. The accused ate idli, made the payment and left the place after leaving a bag containing explosives, he said.

Siddaramaiah said the injured customers of the café are safe and recovering. The Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar have already visited the spot and also the hospitals to inquire about the injured persons, he said.

The Chief Minister said he would also be visiting the place and the hospitals after reaching Bengaluru.

Asked about the possible similarities between the Mangaluru cooker blast and the café blast, Siddaramaiah said the police are investigating all angles.

He condemned the BJP leaders for insinuating that the blast incidents are happening because of the minority appeasement and said all these incidents should not be politicised.

“If the allegation that the bomb blast in the Bengaluru café is because of minority appeasement as per the BJP leaders, let them answer how and why the Mangaluru cooker blast happened during their rule? Was it also because of appeasement?’’ he asked.

The Chief Minister asked BJP not to politicise every incident and view it from minority vs majority angle and made it clear that there was no question of protecting anybody.

Siddaramaiah refuted the BJP allegation that the FSL report into the pro-Pakistan slogan shouting in Vidhana Soudha was being suppressed deliberately and declared that the report will be released after it is released.

There is no question of protecting anybody and anti-nationals will be dealt with sternly, he added.