Amid row, Karnataka CM shares PM’s photo with cleric under lens

Yatnal alleged that Muslim religious leader Sayed Muhammad Tanveer Hashmi is a “sympathiser of Islamic State (IS)”

Chief minister Siddaramaiah on Friday released images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Muslim religious leader Sayed Muhammad Tanveer Hashmi, whom Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Basanagouda Patil labelled as an acknowledged sympathiser of Islamic State (IS), claiming that Hashmi is bringing funds from Muslim countries to create unrest in India.

BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil had attacked chief minister Siddaramaiah for sharing stage with Muslim leader Sayed Muhammad Tanveer Hashmi on Monday. (HT)

The chief minister, however, refuted the allegations and challenged Yatnal to prove them.

The development came as a response to the MLA’s attack on Siddaramaiah for sharing a stage with Hashmi on Monday.

While posting the images on his X (formerly twitter) account, the chief minister accused the BJP MLA of creating embarrassment for the Prime Minister and the BJP due to personal grievances over denied positions.

“Despite BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal using a photo of me with Maulvi Tanveer Hashmi to levy accusations against me, it is slowly becoming evident that his real target is Prime Minister @narendramodi,” Siddaramaiah wrote in a post on X.

”It is suggested by photographs shared in the media that not only other BJP leaders but also Narendra Modi may have connections with Maulvi Hashmi. It looks unlikely that Yatnal, who has been a close associate of Hashmi for a long time and a neighbour in the locality, was unaware of this,” the post further stated.

CM Siddaramaiah said that fuelled by anger and frustration due to the loss of key positions within the BJP, Yatnal made the allegations against Hashmi but his real intention was to seek revenge against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

“Following this allegation, the details of PM Narendra Modi’s connection with Maulvi will also come to light, which Yatnal was undoubtedly aware of. The nature of these accusations suggests an attempt to create embarrassment for the Prime Minister and other BJP leaders,” the chief minister said in the post.

“I have openly acknowledged my friendly relationship with Maulvi Hashmi.He (Hashmi) himself has challenged the Union government to investigate the allegations against him. Now, PM Narendra Modi must respond to the accusations against him. Should there be any truth to the claims about Maulvi Tanveer Hashmi’s connections with Islamic State, the PM must order a thorough investigation and disclose any related details. If this is not done, then action must be taken against Yatnal for making such false accusations,” said the chief minister.

Reacting to the chief minister’s post, Yatnal asked the CM to order a probe. “I would urge Siddaramaiah to order an enquiry against Maulvi Tanveer, The Congress Government is bent to protect Maulvi Tanveer without any enquiry,” he wrote on X.

Earlier on Friday in Belagavi, Yatnal said that he had shared the information he had on Hashmi with the concerned people. “We are giving all the information we have. There has to be a probe into why he visited Baghdad, Middle Eastern countries, his relationship with Pakistan, and his frequent visits to Mumbai and Hyderabad. Who is Siddaramaiah to give him a clean chit? If you have courage, give the case to the CBI or NIA,” Yatnal said.