Synopsis
Karnataka Police have filed an FIR against former BJP MP Pratap Simha for his controversial remarks against Muslims in connection with a police station attack in Mysuru. Syed Abrar, Youth Congress President, filed the complaint citing potential disharmony between communities. The situation escalated following a provocative social media post leading to unrest.Key Takeaways
- FIR filed against former BJP MP Pratap Simha.
- Remarks against Muslims alleged to incite disharmony.
- Incident linked to recent police station attack in Mysuru.
- 17 arrests made in connection to the unrest.
- Massive convention planned to protest government inaction.
Mysuru, Feb 22 (NationPress) The Karnataka Police have initiated legal action against former BJP MP Pratap Simha on Saturday for his controversial comments against Muslims in connection with the recent attack on a police station in Mysuru.
The Udayagiri police lodged an FIR based on a complaint from Syed Abrar, President of the Youth Congress. The complaint alleges, “Pratap Simha has made derogatory statements targeting Muslims, implying that they are not true citizens of this nation. He also claimed that Muslims are increasing their population.”
The complainant added that Simha's remarks could incite tension between Hindus and Muslims. “His comments are offensive towards Muslims. It is imperative that legal measures are enforced against him,” he stated.
Previously, Pratap Simha suggested that Muslims should have departed India during the Partition, stating, “Muslims remained, did nothing, and merely increased their population,” he charged.
Pratap Simha, a former MP representing Mysuru-Kodagu, is recognized as a prominent Hindutva figure, and his remarks have sparked controversies in the past.
The recent incident of stone pelting and rioting transpired following the dissemination of a provocative social media post in Mysuru.
The individual identified as Satish, aka Panduranga, a resident of Kalyannagar in Mysuru, had shared a post mocking prominent leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, former Chief Ministers Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal. His post contained inflammatory communal remarks directed at a specific religious group, leading to its virality on social platforms.
A group from the minority community assembled outside the Udayagiri Police Station, demanding action against the accused.
Despite police efforts to calm the situation, including engaging local religious leaders, tensions escalated, resulting in stone pelting directed at the police station. The mob also targeted the official vehicle of the DCP.
As the situation deteriorated, law enforcement resorted to a lathi-charge and deployed tear gas to disperse the rioting crowd.
The Rashtra Suraksha Jan Andolan Samiti and the BJP are set to hold a significant convention in Mysuru on February 24, protesting against the perceived inaction of the Karnataka government regarding the Udayagiri police station attack.
So far, 17 individuals, including an Islamic religious teacher who allegedly delivered hate speech inciting the mob, have been arrested in this case.
