Bengaluru, Nov 20 (NationPress) Criticizing the Congress-led state administration regarding the recent Rs 7.11 crore robbery that occurred in broad daylight, the BJP unit in Karnataka asserted that the state has transformed into a sanctuary for criminals.

During a press briefing held at his office in Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, Leader of the Opposition and prominent BJP figure R. Ashoka remarked, "A different aspect of Brand Bengaluru is surfacing – the city is increasingly associated with thefts. I condemned the occurrence of a robbery amounting to Rs 7.11 crore in just seven minutes that transpired in Bengaluru on Wednesday (November 19)."

Attacking the Congress-led administration in Karnataka, Ashoka stated, "This is a novel scheme by the Karnataka government; akin to their five promises. The government has essentially instructed the populace on how to secure Rs 7 crore in seven minutes. People are gripped by fear, to the extent that they hesitate to approach banks."

Questioning the state government about the feasibility of such a substantial robbery in broad daylight, the Opposition leader said: "Bengaluru is equipped with over one lakh CCTV cameras and more than one lakh police officers. The Commissioner’s office and residence, the DGP’s office and residence, as well as the Chief Minister's residence, and the Special Officer's residence are all situated close by. On one hand, Congress leaders are implicated in daylight robberies and corruption, and on the other, actual robberies are occurring on the streets by criminals. This appears to be a bizarre coincidence."

He further commented, "This incident unfolded right near the tunnel road point adjacent to (Deputy Chief Minister) D.K. Shivakumar's residence. This too seems coincidental. Karnataka has become a paradise for thieves."

"After Bidar and Mangaluru, thieves have now made their way to Bengaluru. As if to showcase their prowess, they executed this act in the capital city. The people have recognized that the state government is virtually non-existent," Ashoka asserted.

"If the state government and police instilled any fear, if there was a genuine concern of being shot or punished for committing robbery, the criminals would not have dared to undertake this. Ministers and the Chief Minister are preoccupied with Delhi due to the power struggle surrounding the Cabinet reshuffle in Karnataka. The law and order situation has completely collapsed; it is effectively nonexistent," he added.

He urged the Karnataka government, saying: "They (the state government) must apprehend the culprits within 24 hours. They claim to have leads already. It has now been 26 hours since the robbery occurred. If all clues are available, why haven’t they (the state government) arrested anyone yet?"

He stated: "Law and order has completely deteriorated in Karnataka. Criminals have no fear of law enforcement. This has instilled anxiety in the public regarding the safety of Bengaluru's banks. If wrongdoers can commit robbery in broad daylight and escape, it highlights the dire situation we face."

"The police department has faltered in several instances, such as the stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL victory celebrations and the incident in Dharmasthala. Due to the internal conflicts among Congress leaders vying for power and their focus on Delhi, there is no control over the police department. The pervasive commission system across all departments has hindered public works from progressing," alleged BJP leader Ashoka.

"Congress leaders have become masters of broken promises. Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar has indirectly stated that CM Siddaramaiah is a Chief Minister by chance. He has expressed intentions to resign from his position as state party president. CM Siddaramaiah, however, has firmly stated he will not relinquish the Chief Minister's position. In the coming month, the true nature of this charade will be revealed," he concluded.

"Development initiatives in schools are stagnant. There is a critical shortage of basic facilities, classrooms, and teachers have not been appointed. Instead of advancing school development in this dire situation, the threshold for passing marks has been lowered. This merely inflates the number of students deemed successful, which will not benefit the students. The education sector will not thrive under such measures. I will request the Assembly Speaker to address this during the session," added BJP leader Ashoka.