Mandya: 2 BJP leaders booked for ‘spreading misinformation’

Union minister Shobha Karandlaje and LoP R Ashoka have been booked for allegedly spreading misinformation regarding recent communal clashes in Nagamangala

Union minister Shobha Karandlaje and Leader of Opposition (LoP) R Ashoka have been booked for allegedly spreading misinformation regarding recent communal clashes in Nagamangala in Mandya district, police said.

Two separate FIRs were registered against the BJP leaders on the basis of a complaint filed by a 45-year-old police officer at Nagamangala town police station in Mandya district (File photo)

Two separate FIRs were registered against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on the basis of a complaint filed by a 45-year-old police officer at Nagamangala town police station in Mandya district, they said.

Shobha Karandlaje has been accused of posting a message on X on September 13, claiming that Mandya police had “arrested” a Lord Ganesh idol during a religious procession. The post triggered outrage and prompted legal action. The FIR against her cites Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which addresses acts of provocation that could incite riots.

Home minister G Parameshwara, confirming the FIR, remarked, “Shobha Karandlaje is a Union minister, and when they go beyond the limit, naturally, the law will come into force.”

In response, Karandlaje said she was ready to face the charges but reiterated her demand for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the Nagamangala incident. “We stand by our demand for an NIA inquiry into the events at Nagamangala,” she told the media.

She further said: “The Karnataka government must be held accountable for this failure. This is not just a local issue but a national security threat, with clear signs of banned group PFI (Popular Front of India) trying to spread unrest.”

Besides Karadlaje, R Ashoka has been accused of posting video clips of an unrelated incident and falsely linking them to the Nagamangala clashes. According to the complaint, filed at Nagamangala police station, Ashoka’s actions led to confusion and further inflamed tensions.

Speaking to the media, Ashoka criticised the FIR, describing it as a “cowardly act” by the government to suppress opposition voices.

The BJP leader accused the state government of being weak and unable to prevent communal violence. In a social media post, he said: “The incompetent home minister hasn’t even visited the site of the incident, despite the chaos and destruction that took place.”

Ashoka also questioned Parameshwara’s remarks regarding the clashes. He said that an FIR should first be filed against the home minister for allegedly giving false information to the public about the seriousness of the incident.

“The FIR should first be filed against the home minister for calling this a ‘minor’ incident,” Ashoka said in a post on X and accused the government of cowardice and failing to control communal riots.

In response to the allegations, Parameshwara defended the government’s decision to file FIRs against the BJP leaders, emphasising that the legal measures were based on actions that violated the law, not political vendettas.

“There is no question of politicizing the issue. FIRs are registered based on actions that cross a line. It’s a matter of law, not politics,” he added.

The Nagamangala clashes, which occurred during a Ganesha procession, have become a flashpoint, with both sides accusing each other of inflaming communal sentiments for political gain.

According to police, an argument broke out between two groups, when the Ganesh idol procession by devotees from Badri Koppalu village reached a place of worship at Nagamangala on September 11 night, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation in the town.

With PTI inputs