Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja's hate speech video goes viral
Belthangady: A video of Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja delivering a hate speech against Muslims during a religious event has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage. The speech was made from the stage of the Brahmakalashotsava ceremony at the Thekkaru Sri Gopalakrishna Temple on Saturday night.
In the video, the MLA can be heard accusing the local Muslim community of vandalism and theft. He alleged that "country Bearys of Thekkaru" broke tube lights installed for the temple event and stole diesel. His remarks have been widely condemned as inflammatory and communal in nature.
"You (Hindus) are only 150 families in Thekkaru. The Muslim community has 1,200 families. In another ten years, their numbers won’t drop to 600. Instead, the number of Bearys will grow from 5,000 to 10,000. Regardless of their numbers, we must unite, rise above caste differences, and work towards the development of the temple," he said.
MLA Poonja also made unsubstantiated claims that the Muslim community is divided into 70 to 74 castes and questioned why invitations for the Brahmakalashotsava were extended to local mosques.
"Why did Thekkaru villagers send temple invitations to mosques? There is no connection between them and us. It is because of these invitations that they broke the tube lights," he alleged.
Contrary to his remarks, local Muslims had participated in the spirit of harmony by putting up congratulatory banners for the temple celebration after receiving invitations.
The speech has drawn criticism from various quarters, with many accusing the MLA of attempting to incite communal disharmony at a sensitive time.
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MP traffic cop suffers burn injuries during Congress' effigy-burning protest; probe ordered
Maihar (MP) (PTI): A traffic policeman suffered severe burn injuries in Madhya Pradesh's Maihar district on Friday after his uniform caught fire during Congress' effigy-burning protest targeted at some ministers, prompting the police to file an FIR and launch an investigation into the incident, an official said.
The protest took place at Agrasen Tiraha in Maihar city, he said.
Traffic policeman, Vikram Pathak, who was on duty at that time, suffered severe burn injuries as petrol carried in a bottle by the protesters fell on his uniform and it caught fire.
Congress workers were burning an effigy while raising slogans against state ministers Rajendra Shukla (Health), Vijay Shah (Tribal Affairs), and Kailash Vijayvargiya (Parliamentary Affairs).
While the opposition party has been targeting Shah for his controversial remarks made last year against Col Sofia Qureshi, it has been demanding the resignations of Shukla and Vijayvargiya over the deaths of people due to contaminated water in Indore.
As the protesters tried to set the effigy on fire, petrol got sprinkled on Pathak's uniform, and it caught fire. The blaze quickly spread to his back and lower body, causing panic during the protest, eyewitnesses said.
A video of the incident also went viral, showing a stampede-like situation soon after the fire.
The police personnel and locals present at the scene acted swiftly and extinguished the fire using blankets and water. The injured traffic policeman was immediately taken to Maihar Civil Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment, the official said.
Doctors said he suffered severe burn injuries, but is out of danger.
Taking serious cognisance of the matter, the police launched an investigation, he said.
An FIR has been registered based on the video footage, and the role of those involved in the protest is being investigated, the official said.
Police are also investigating the circumstances under which flammable material was used during the effigy- burning protest.
Following the accident, additional police force was deployed at the protest site and the surrounding area.
Superintendent of Police Awadhesh Kumar and Collector Rani Batad described the incident as serious and assured strict action against those involved in it.
"A demonstration was being carried out by the Congress, and during the effigy-burning, some petrol was spilled on the uniform of Vikram Pathak, the in-charge on duty, after which it suddenly caught fire and caused burn injuries to him," SP Kumar said.
An investigation is being conducted on the basis of the video, he said.
Madhya Pradesh BJP chief Hemant Khandelwal said in Bhopal, "I have spoken to the policeman and offered my prayers. There is a way to protest. Whatever happened is not right.
