Bar Mallikarjun Kharge from campaign, register FIR: BJP to EC on 'poisonous snake' barb
New Delhi, Apr 28: The BJP on Friday urged the Election Commission to file a criminal case against Mallikarjun Kharge and bar him from campaigning in the Karnataka assembly polls, stepping up its attack on the Congress president for his "poisonous snake" barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union minister Bhupender Yadav, who led a BJP delegation to the Election Commission, told reporters that Kharge's comment was not merely a slip of the tongue but part of the Congress' "hate politics" as he accused the party of working to spread disharmony and provoke people ahead of the high-stakes polls in the southern state.
BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh said Kharge is a "habitual offender" and noted that Congress leaders have made a number of "hateful" personal attacks on Modi.
The BJP has demanded registration of an FIR under IPC Sections 499 and 500, which deal with defamation, and Section 504, which deals with the offence of deliberate insults and provocation.
The delegation also included BJP chief spokesperson Anil Baluni and party leader Om Pathak.
Addressing a campaign rally for the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls, Kharge likened Modi to a "poisonous snake". As a row erupted, he later sought to clarify that his remarks were not aimed at the prime minister but at the ruling BJP.
The BJP's memorandum to the poll watchdog said, "Election Commission is empowered under Article 324 of the Constitution of India to ensure that no one indulges in making false, unverified, baseless allegations to violate electoral laws and indulge in behaviour which tear apart the sanctity of the MCC."
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"Kharge should be barred from campaigning in Karnataka elections so as to contain the spread of such acrimonious campaign and set an example that the Commission will not brook any violation of MCC or other laws of the land," it added.
Comparing anyone to a poisonous snake in Indian society projects such an individual as an "enemy, untrustworthy, unfaithful, treacherous, and deceitful," it said, adding that Kharge and his party are repeat offenders.
"Use of such vulgar and abusive language to tarnish the image of a respected prime minister clearly shows the level to which the Congress has plummeted.... Such perverse pronouncements, if not checked effectively, will not only vitiate the electoral atmosphere, but will also further encourage the Congress rank and file in lowering the levels of propriety of the quality of political discourse," it said.
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Annamalai questions Naxals surrender policy in Karnataka
Udupi (Karnataka), Jan 11: Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has raised concerns over the Naxal surrender and rehabilitation policy in Karnataka, questioning its effectiveness and transparency.
Annamalai, who had served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Udupi between January 2015 and August 2016 and as SP Chikkamagaluru, considered a hotbed of Naxals in Karnataka, in 2018, had convened a press conference in Udupi on Saturday.
According to him, while the policy aims to reintegrate former Naxals into mainstream society, doubts persist regarding its implementation.
He pointed out that surrender and encounter cases have sparked widespread speculation, with many questioning the circumstances under which these events unfolded.
"The recent Naxals surrenders, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, raise several questions. The process, which involves surrenders in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, appears to have been made too easy for Naxals," he said.
Annamalai also questioned the credibility of the surrender process, stating that the government's approach could create doubts about the policy's integrity. He cited the case of Vikram Gowda's encounter, which has triggered concerns among locals.
"There are reports that the Chief Minister himself was involved in the surrender process, and weapons were displayed in a remote forested location. The public is finding it difficult to believe this narrative," he added.
The remarks come amid growing debates on the handling of Naxal issues in Karnataka, with political leaders and activists weighing in on the government's approach to surrender.
Annamalai was in Udupi to launch "Samvidhana Badalayisisddu Yaaru?" (Who changed the Constitution?), authored by Vikas Kumar P, at an event organised by the Citizens for Social Justice today.
Taking to 'X' post the event, Annamalai wrote, "This book highlights the numerous amendments made during the Congress regime, which sought to undermine our citizens' fundamental rights, civic liberties, and even the very meaning of the Preamble."
He had also posted on X that he met today and received blessings from the current Paryaya Swami, His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Sugunendra Theerth Swamiji, of Jagadguru Sri Madhwaachaarya Moola Mahaa Samsthaanam, Shri Puthige Matha, Udupi.
