Bengaluru: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday accused BJP leaders of deliberately quoting him out of context on the Balakot airstrike for their own ends. Soon after the IAF operation, Mr. Kumaraswamy had criticized the BJP for distributing sweets and bursting crackers, warning it would escalate tension between two communities.
But on receiving a public backlash for his comment, he quickly disowned his statement and claimed his speech had been doctored and taken out of context.
Responding to the BJP's criticism, the Chief Minister in a series of tweets addressed to it said, “you and your team prove to be masters in doctoring and misleading everyone. My statement was on BJP propaganda and not army operations. You took it out of context and edited it for your convenience. You (BJP) proved once again you are fake news experts, just like our neighbouring country. It is dangerous to edit words out of contest to malign someone to suit your political gain. Your action is the same as Pakistan's of creating a doctored propaganda video out of our war hero, Abhinandan' statement. My comment was on our BJP friend's attempt to gain political mileage."
Former BJP minister S. Suresh Kumar came down heavily on Mr Kumaraswamy for his tweets, saying, “It is shameful considering that you are the Chief Minister of the state. How can airstrikes on a terrorist camp create tension between two communities?"
BJP general secretary, Shobha Karandlaje called the Chief Minister's statement "anti-national" and claimed it amounted to questioning an operation of the Indian armed forces.
