Karnataka Chief Minister Siddarmaiah’s remarks on a war with Pakistan being undesirable has sparked a sharp reaction from BJP leaders. The CM in turn, has defended his remarks, saying that war must always be the “last resort”.
Siddaramaiah had said on Saturday, April 26, that a war with Pakistan was undesirable. He had said that there had been an intelligence and security failure on the part of the central government in connection with the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, in which 26 tourists died.
“There is no necessity to wage a war against Pakistan. Strict security measures must be initiated. We are not in favour of waging war. There should be peace, people must feel secure, and the Central government should ensure effective security arrangements,” Siddaramaiah had said.
On Sunday, April 27, BJP leaders criticised the CM, accusing him of making such remarks for Muslim votes. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said Siddaramaiah should go to Pakistan.
BJP Leader or the mystery of Murugees Nerrani Demerandy followed the CM Apological Apological.
Former CM Jagadish Shettar ridiculed the CM saying that he was very popular in Pakistan. Referring to the ‘encounter’ in Hubballi in which the police shot dead a murder accused man, Shettar said that all of the society was praising the police for it.
“Siddaramaiah will probably hang the police for it. If your stand is not to have war, ‘let anyone come and do anything to us, we will tolerate’, then perhaps our country will not last very long. Siddarmaiah is a very popular leader in Pakistan right now,” Shettar told media.
Siddaramaiah issued another statement on Sunday, April 27, clarifying that he meant that war should be the last resort. “War should always be a nation’s last resort — never the first, nor the only option. Only when every other means to defeat the enemy has failed, should a country be compelled to go to war.”
He repeated his earlier remarks that there had been a “grave” failure of security and intelligence. “It is now the government’s solemn responsibility to first correct these shortcomings and to ensure such tragedies are not repeated in the future.”
However, Siddaramaiah backed the Union government’s diplomatic measures including the reconsideration of the Indus Water Treaty. “We trust that even sterner actions are on the horizon. Not every move needs to be broadcast to the world; rest assured, the nation stands fully united behind every strong and decisive step taken.”
At the same time, he cautioned that “some mischievous elements are attempting to spread hatred and division within the country, disturbing the peace and unity among us. The government must act firmly against such forces too”.
