BJP MP slams K’taka govt over compensation to Pahalgam victims

Bengaluru, April 28 (IANS) BJP National Youth Wing President and Bengaluru South MP and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) National President Tejasvi Surya said that if the Karnataka government has even a shred of humanity, it would have given at least Rs 1 crore each as compensation to the families of the two victims killed in the terrorist attack.

“If such an amount had been kept in a fixed deposit in a bank, the families could have survived and educated their children with the interest earned. In the neighbouring state of Kerala, the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had given Rs 15 lakh to victims who had died in an elephant attack. But here, despite the horrific nature of the terrorist attack, the Karnataka government failed to provide even that much, expressing disappointment over the state government's attitude,” he said while addressing a press conference at the BJP state headquarters ‘Jagannath Bhavan’ in Bengaluru.

He said it is futile to expect more from a Congress party that has "sold itself for Muslim votes" and asserted that it is the responsibility of the Hindu community to support these families.

He mentioned that the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) had organised a torchlight rally in Bengaluru South condemning the terrorist act and had appealed during the event to collect compensation higher than what the state government offered. He noted that about Rs 20 lakh had already been collected from the public.

Surya announced that the BJP would hand over Rs 10 lakh and one rupee to Bharat Bhushan’s family and Rs 10 lakh and one rupee to Manjunath’s family in the next couple of days.

Tejasvi Surya further informed that R.V. University had responded to his request and had written a letter promising to bear the complete education expenses of Pallavi Manjunath's son, Abhijaya, up to his postgraduate degree. He said he would personally deliver this letter to her.

Additionally, Transcend, an educational institution on Kanakapura Road, has agreed to provide CBSE education from 1st to 12th standard to Bharat Bhushan’s three-year-old child. A letter to this effect has already been sent to Sujatha Bharat Bhushan, he said.

Moreover, Mahaveer Jain Hospital in Bengaluru has pledged to take care of the healthcare needs of both families for the next 11 years. They have also issued letters confirming this commitment. Tejasvi Surya expressed gratitude and appreciation to all three institutions.

He emphasised that temples, Hindu religious trusts, Hindu philanthropists, and industrialists across the state should come forward to fulfil their responsibility and support the affected families.

He criticised the state government by stating that the terrorists did not just target the Government of India but the entire Hindu community. Despite the brutal attack, the state government announced a mere Rs 10 lakh compensation, he said.

Tejasvi Surya questioned who advised the Chief Minister to announce such a paltry sum and whether the Chief Minister had lost all sense of humanity and reality.

He pointed out that Manjunath’s household has a boy who scored 97 per cent in his PU exams and still has at least 8–10 years of education ahead. Similarly, Bharat Bhushan’s home has a three-year-old child, and his mother must shoulder the burden of educating him for the next 25 years.

He lamented that a few days ago, Islamic terrorists in Pahalgam had specifically identified Hindu men and killed them in front of their wives and children. These terrorists did not randomly kill tourists; they deliberately targeted Hindus, he stressed.

Tejasvi Surya criticised the existence of sections within the state and the country that refuse to acknowledge this brutal truth, even when victims' families openly spoke about it.

He noted that while Asaduddin Owaisi had admitted that Hindus were killed because of their religion, the Congress leaders still refuse to acknowledge this reality.

He added that nothing better illustrates the decline and degradation of the Congress party.

State spokespersons Ashok Gowda, Mohan Vishwa, and Surabhi Hodigere were also present at the press conference.