A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Karnataka has been booked for controversial remarks he made about the Muslim community in a video posted on a social media platform, police said on Sunday.
In the video shared on Rathod’s Facebook account on Saturday, the BJP leader is purportedly heard making inflammatory remarks in the Lambani language, calling for the extermination of the Muslim community and urging the killing of those accused of “love jihad” within eight days. HT has verified the authenticity of the video.
The term “love jihad” is used by Hindu right-wing outfits and are not recognised by the government or courts, with the terms often seen as “anti-Muslim” rhetoric.
A complaint over the video was filed by one Syed Aleem Ilahi at the Kalaburage Central police station on Saturday. Based on the complaint, a first information report was registered under 196 (promoting enmity between different groups), 197 (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class), 351(criminal intimidation) and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Confirming the development Kalaburagi commissioner of police Sharanappa SD said: “Rathod allegedly uploaded a provocative video on Facebook. We are investigating the matter and gathering evidence to determine the extent of his culpability.”
{{/usCountry}}Confirming the development Kalaburagi commissioner of police Sharanappa SD said: “Rathod allegedly uploaded a provocative video on Facebook. We are investigating the matter and gathering evidence to determine the extent of his culpability.”
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