On Tuesday (26 September), a purported video of Congress MLA from Karnataka BR Patil is making rounds on the internet. In the viral video, the Congress leader can be heard floating a conspiracy theory. He accused the BJP by imputing that they would carry out a false flag operation and “bomb Ram Mandir”. He brazened it out alleging that it could then pin the blame for the bomb attack on Muslims. He argued that this would be done to consolidate Hindu votes in the wee hours of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
In the video, the Congress leader speaking in Kannada can be heard saying, “For Modi to win his next Lok Sabha election, there are chances that they [BJP] will bomb Ram Mandir and blame it on Muslims and consolidate Hindus.”
"भाजपा राम मंदिर पर बम से हमला करवा सकती है और इसका आरोप वे मुसलमानों पर मढ़ सकती है"
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) September 26, 2023
◆ कर्नाटक कांग्रेस के विधायक बीआर पाटिल का बयान
#BRPatil | #RamMandir pic.twitter.com/Lbbhe0KWvI
Karnataka Congress MLA BR Patil in a shocking statement says "BJP will bomb Ram Mandir and blame Muslims"
— BALA (@erbmjha) September 26, 2023
Previously Satyapal Malik and Prashant Bhushan made similar statements. Agencies should strictly interrogate them. pic.twitter.com/P1JLhi8YFJ
Apparently, the video in which the Congress leader can be heard spreading rumours and instilling fear among Hindu devotees was also shared by the Karnataka BJP.
Taking to X, Karnataka BJP lambasted Congress for casting “evil eyes” on the Ram Mandir. The saffron party asserted that Congress leaders had been targeting the foundations of Hinduism (Sanatan Dharma). It added that Congress is now attempting to destabilise the Ram Mandir and fuel communal tensions in the country. It also noted that the BR Patil’s remark gave away their intentions to castigate the government in that scenario.
ಹಿಂದೂ ಧರ್ಮದ ಬುನಾದಿಯನ್ನೇ ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಲು ಹೊರಟ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ಸಿಗರು ಈಗಲೇ ರಾಮಮಂದಿರದ ಮೇಲೆ ಕಾಕದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಬೀರಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) September 25, 2023
ರಾಮಮಂದಿರವನ್ನೇ ಅಲುಗಾಡಿಸಿ ಹಿಂದೂ-ಮುಸ್ಲಿಂ ದಂಗೆಯೆಬ್ಬಿಸಿ ಅದನ್ನು ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ತಲೆಗೆ ಕಟ್ಟಲು @INCIndia ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ಸಜ್ಜಾಗಿರುವ ವಿಚಾರವನ್ನು ಸಚಿವರಾದ ಬಿ. ಆರ್. ಪಾಟೀಲರು ಬಾಯಿ ತಪ್ಪಿ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ. pic.twitter.com/YLwtVsvrH8
Sharing BR Patil’s video spreading conspiracy theory, Karnataka BJP wrote, “Congress members who have set out to question the foundation of Hinduism have already cast their evil eye on the Ram Mandir. By attempting to destabilise the Ram Mandir, and fuelling Hindu-Muslim tensions, INC India has already prepared the ground to blame the government. This is what the party’s Minister, BR Patil, had mentioned by mistake.”
However, the exact time or date when Patil made the remark remains unclear.
Earlier, on 10th September, Shiv Sena UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray too tried to spread rumours and instill fear among Hindu devotees. Apparently, while addressing an event in Jalgaon, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav camp) chief and former Maharashtra Chief Minister claimed that a “Godhra-like” incident could occur during the “return journey” of the large number of devotees expected to converge in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, for the inauguration of the Ram Temple.
The probable dates for the inauguration of the Bhavya Ram Mandir in Ayodhya have been selected as 21/22 January 2024. More than tens of thousands of Hindus from throughout the country are expected to attend the grand ceremony.
“It is a possibility that the government could invite a large number of people for the Ram Temple inauguration in buses and trucks, and on their return journey, an incident similar to that in Godhra may occur,” Thackeray said.
VIDEO | "It is a possibility that the government could invite a large number of people for the Ram Temple inauguration in buses and trucks, and on their return journey, an incident similar to that in Godhra may occur," said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray earlier.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 11, 2023
STORY… pic.twitter.com/iEZocaMs9c
In the run-up to the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, there has been a concerted effort to pre-empt that anti-India forces and terror organisations could attain a shred of success in their perpetual pursuit to give a societal scare to India and carry out a bomb attack on the high-value target, especially Ram Mandir which is on the brink to shape Hindu cultural renaissance in India.
Some political elements have also tried to give terrorists a clean chit in advance if they attack the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.
