 "JP Nadda, Nadda")
In an effort to address controversial messaging during the election period, the Karnataka Police have summoned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda and IT cell head Amit Malviya regarding a post circulated on the microblogging platform X by the party's state unit.
The move follows the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) related to the post at the High Grounds Police station in Bengaluru, naming the two leaders. The investigating officer has issued summonses to Nadda and Malviya, granting them a week to comply and appear for questioning.
The contentious post revolves around a video shared on X, purportedly showing the Congress party favouring Muslims for reservation at the expense of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This accusation echoes sentiments expressed by various senior BJP figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over recent days.
Prior to police intervention, the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer had urged the state's BJP faction to remove the post. Subsequently, the Election Commission (EC) issued a notice to X on Tuesday, demanding the removal of the contentious post.
Stating that the post violated the legal framework, the Election Commission said in its notice to X, "An FIR has already been registered in the matter. It is further brought to your notice that Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka through Cyber Crime Division, Bengaluru has already directed X on 05 May 2024 to take down the objectionable post as per Section 79(3)(b) of Information Technology Act and rule 3(1)(d) of The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. However, the post has not been taken down yet."
Attempting to access the post now results in a "page doesn't exist" error message on the microblogging platform.
The Congress, currently holding power in Karnataka, lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission, alleging misconduct by Karnataka BJP leader BY Vijayendra, the son of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. The accusation contends that the BJP wants to "provoke rioting and promote enmity".
Vijayendra was also named in the police case alongside JP Nadda and Amit Malviya.
All 28 constituencies in Karnataka concluded their voting process yesterday. Unlike other southern states, the BJP has historically performed strongly in Karnataka during the Lok Sabha elections, securing 17 seats in 2014 and 25 in 2019. The party aspires to replicate or surpass its previous achievements in the current elections, aiming to bolster its presence in the southern region as part of its ambitious goal of securing 370 seats independently and 400 within the NDA alliance.
