Bangalore attack shows Ram sevaks' culture: MK

New Delhi: The attack on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s daughter’s house in Bangalore on Tuesday has brought on harsh words from the DMK chief, who, on Wednesday, condemned the violence and urged the Karnataka government to take strict action.

“By this act Ram's devotees have proved their culture. What is wrong with my comment on Ram? It is the duty of the Karnataka government to take action now. I am confident they will perform their duty. The opponents of the Sethusamudram project are picking up small reasons to stop it,” he said earlier on Wednesday.

Karnataka Home Minister, M P Prakash, meanwhile, told CNN- IBN that the attacks on Karunanidhi's daughter's house was a cowardly act. “We condemn the attack. Strict action will be taken against the guilty. We have discussed the situation with the Union Home Minister,” he said.

Tuesday's attacks in Bangalore followed Karunanidhi’s unpopular comments on Lord Ram, calling him a ‘myth’. A known atheist, Karunanidhi had questioned the existence of Ram while addressing a rally in Erode on Sunday. The statements of Karunanidhi saying Ram is an imaginary character and “Was Ram a civil engineer”, are tantamount to casting doubts on the existence of the Hindu God.

In Bangalore, two people were killed in two incidents of violence that erupted over the issue on Tuesday night.

In the first incident, a Tamil Nadu Transport Corporation bus carrying 26 passengers was attacked in Bangalore and two people were charred to death.

Sources say unknown assailants stopped the bus on the National Highway 7 near Madiwala, doused it with petrol and set it on fire.

Though most passengers escaped, two of them did not have the time to get out of the bus. The dead have not yet been identified as their bodies were charred beyond recognition.

“One truck came in front of the bus and stopped it. Four to five people got inside and threw petrol cans, I was the last to come out of the bus,” said a passenger Stalin.

While police say the intention of the miscreants was not to “harm anyone but only create a sensation”, they have not yet confirmed if the attack was related to the Sethusamudram row.