Bengaluru police have issued notices to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda and its IT cell head Amit Malviya regarding a contentious video posted by the party’s Karnataka state unit during the recent election period. The video, which has sparked controversy, depicted a caricatured portrayal of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi allegedly favoring Muslims over other communities.
The notices, requiring Nadda and Malviya to appear before the Bengaluru police within seven days, follow the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) at Bengaluru’s High Grounds Police Station. The FIR was lodged by Congress leader Ramesh Babu, citing sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People Act related to statements promoting enmity between classes and conducting public mischief.
The animated clip in question aligns with the BJP’s narrative of accusing the Congress of reallocating reservation benefits from marginalized communities to Muslims. This narrative has been a focal point of the BJP’s campaign in recent weeks.
In the summons addressed to Malviya and Nadda, the police highlighted the date of the complaint and the video’s posting during the Model Code of Conduct period on the official BJP Karnataka social network account on a specific platform. The content of the video is deemed to incite animosity and ill-will against members of the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities.
The Election Commission also intervened in the matter, directing the social media platform to take down the contentious video less than two hours before polling concluded in Karnataka. Chief Electoral Officer for Karnataka, Manoj Kumar Meena, stated that they had contacted the platform through the Information Technology Act’s provisions and were awaiting a response.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing, with the police focusing on potential violations of election regulations and laws related to promoting animosity between social groups. The outcome of this investigation and the response from the concerned parties are anticipated in the coming days.
Sources By Agencies
