Karnataka CM Yediyurappa plays down Tejasvi Surya's 'Bengaluru a terror hub' remark

Playing down newly appointed Bharatiya Yuva Morcha President Tejasvi Surya's remarks, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Monday asserted that Surya's remarks have been taken out of context, and what he possibly meant was terror activities are on the rise.

CM Yediyurappa on Tejasvi Surya's remarks

Speaking to reporters here, Yediyurappa said, "It is not correct to say that Bengaluru has become a terror hub. Even he (Surya) might not have meant that way. He may have said that terror activities are on the rise."

In response to a question, the CM asserted that the demand to set up the premier investigation agency, the National Investigation Agency, in Bengaluru is being made for the last three years.

"I have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi thrice in as many years. Demand to set up NIA in Bengaluru is not new. We need it here," he explained.

Meanwhile, launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President D.K. Shivakumar said that Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya is bringing more disrepute to Bengaluru than anyone could have possibly imagined.

"I am surprised to know that he calls himself a nationalist. His statements against our city are nothing but slanderous and ill-motivated. He is young and should think twice before making any statement," he said, adding that he would like to remind Suraya that Bengaluru is known as the garden city or the IT hub across the globe, and not as terrorism hub as he put it.

Quoting late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpyee, Shivakumar said that Vajapayee himself had told in his speech that Bengaluru has become an IT hub and many global invitees prefer to land in Bengaluru first and then come to Delhi.

"This is the statement made by a BJP veteran, Vajpayeeji. Let him (Surya) at least remember his party veterans' speeches," he said.