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‘False’: Karnataka cops fact-check home minister’s ‘murdered over Urdu’ remark
The Bengaluru Police’s public rebuttal of Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra fuelled a sharp attack by the Opposition, which accused the minister of attempting to disturb “communal harmony” in the capital.
The Bengaluru Police on Wednesday issued a ‘fact check’ on a murder in Karnataka capital Bengaluru after state home minister Araga Jnanendra said that the man, a 22-year-old, was murdered because he didn’t know Urdu.
In a fact-check posted on its website, the Bengaluru Police posted screengrabs from the TV news channels reporting the home minister’s statement that Chandru was killed for ‘not speaking Urdu’. The fact-check concluded that the claim was false and the murder was a fallout of road rage. The minister eventually withdrew his statement.
The public rebuttal of the home minister fuelled a sharp attack by the Opposition, which accused the minister of attempting to disturb “communal harmony in the capital.
The trigger for the row was the murder in Bengaluru’s JJ Nagar police station limits when two persons, Chandru, 22, and Christian had gone to an eatery on Mysore road, on Tuesday. Bengaluru Police commissioner Kamal Kant put out a statement detailing the incident.
“While returning back on their bike, they collided with another bike, being ridden by one Shahid. It led to a quarrel, which was joined by others. During the fight, Shahid stabbed Chandru on his right thigh and the assailants fled from the spot. Chandru was shifted to Victoria hospital, where he succumbed to injury. All the 3 accused persons are arrested,” Kant’s statement late on Tuesday said.
Police said the tweet was an effort to set the record straight after multiple social media posts emerged “giving the murder communal colour emerged”.
On Wednesday morning, however, Karnataka home minister Araga Jnanendra told reporters that the 22-year-old was killed because he didn’t know Urdu.
“I have collected the information. They asked him (Chandru) to speak Urdu. He didn’t know. When he said he doesn’t know any other language other than Kannada, he was killed brutally by stabbing him multiple with knives. He is a dalit man. Some people have been arrested in the case so far,” the home minister said.
The home minister’s statement that appeared to echo many posts on social media provoked a rare fact check.
Among others, the Bengaluru Police shared screengrabs of TV channels reporting the minister’s statement on the murder. “News that is not checked for facts like the above news is detrimental to society and legal action will be taken against it. The public is asked to share verified news on social media platforms, and not share fake news,” the police said.
The home minister withdrew his statement soon after. “I gave whatever information I had then. Now that I have the details of the incident, I clarify that the murder took place over the collision of two vehicles… I said somethings about language and others, police have now told me that nothing like that is there,” he said.
When asked why he issued a statement without confirmation, the minister said that he received the information “from some sources” which were proven to be wrong. “Now I can confirm that it was only because of the bike collision and not any other reason,” he said.
Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Siddaramaiah said it is unfortunate that Araga Jnanendra is the home minister of the state and unfit to remain in the position. “He doesn’t have any experience and doesn’t know how to handle that department,” said Siddaramaiah.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said home minister Araga Jnanendra’s statement was aimed at disturbing communal harmony in the state and was irresponsible.
“It was an incident that took place on Tuesday morning. Still, on Wednesday the police department is giving one statement and the home minister is giving another. … the (home minister) statement was something that would spoil the harmony and peace in the state… doesn’t he know the responsibility held by the home minister? They (ruling BJP) are trying to play politics even in the murder case.... “ he said.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, who is currently in New Delhi, refused to comment on the incident. “I won’t comment without knowing the case details, I will get the case details...based on which I will see what he has said and will comment after that,” he said.
