May 06, 2024 01:13 AM IST
The 17-second video appeared to be in line with the BJP’s charge that the Congress aimed to prioritise the Muslim community.
The Congress on Sunday filed a first information report (FIR) against three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including its chief JP Nadda, and also approached the Election Commission over an animated clip posted by the party’s Karnataka unit on X that showed a caricatured description of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi distributing funds to Muslims, while ignoring Dalits, tribals and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The 17-second video appeared to be in line with the BJP’s charge that the Congress aimed to prioritise the Muslim community over other sections and came against the backdrop of several BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the principal Opposition party of intending to redistribute wealth, a charge Congress leaders have repeatedly rejected.
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Congress leader Ramesh Babu filed the FIR against Nadda, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya and the chief of the party’s Karnataka unit, BY Vijayendra, under the Indian Penal Code’s (IPC) section 505(2) (statement conducing public mischief), and the Representation of People Act’s Section 125 (promoting enmity between classes) at the High Grounds Police Station in Bengaluru, people aware of the matter said. “We have registered a case against Nadda, Vijayendra, and Malaviya on the complaint filed by KPCC member Ramesh Babu. The investigation is ongoing,” central deputy commissioner of police (DCP) T Shekar said.
In a complaint to the Karnataka chief electoral officer, the Congress said that the BJP intended to promote enmity between communities through the clip.
“It is clear that the video social media post by them is to intimidate members of SC/ST community not to vote for Congress party by projecting that funds reserved for them will be usurped by Muslims,” it said in the letter.
“The act of the accused person is to wantonly provocate rioting and promote enmity between different religions and is prejudicial to maintenance of harmony apart from intimidating members of SC/ST community not to vote for particular candidate and causing enmity against members of SC/ST community,” it added.
HT reached out to the EC and chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar for a comment on the matter but did not get one immediately.
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditi covers technology policy, online free speech, privacy, cybersecurity, and surveillance.
