Civil society organisations jointly file complaint to election commission against BJP in Karnataka
On 06.05.2024, a delegation of concerned citizens and members of various civil society organisations met the Chief Election Officer, Karnataka to file a complaint against Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka. The complaint demanded action against BJP Karnataka for violation of Representation of People’s Act. 1951, Model Code of Contact (MCC) and sections 153A, 505 (1) (c ) and 505 (2) by spreading fake news and hate speech through their X handle and through newspaper advertisements.
The video posted on the BJP Karnataka X handle clearly implies that the Muslim community is “eating” all the funds at the cost of other communities, and that the Muslim community is pushing out the other communities. The very manner in which the Muslim community is portrayed as being “bad” is a shocking and blatant attack against the community.Similarly the advertisement spreads fake news that Muslims are being given reservation on the basis of religion, when they are given reservations for being a member of a socially and educationally backward class as per Article 15(4) of the constitution.
It further stated that BJP Karnataka, in putting out the video and the advertisement had violated Section 123 (3A) of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 by seeking votes on the ground of religion. By attempting to promote hatred among the Muslim and SC/ST/OBC communities, their actions also attracted IPC sections 153(A)1(a), IPC 505(2).The video is in clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 as contained in the Handbook for Candidates Edition 2023 issued by the Election Commission of India and the Compendium of Instructions on the Model Code of Conduct 2024.
The delegation urged the Chief Election Officer, Karnataka to exercise their authority under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution and immediately initiate the following measures:
1. Immediately file an FIR against BJP Karnataka Social Media In-charge; JP Nadda, BJP National President; Amit Malaviya, BJP National Social Media In-charge and BY Vijayendra, State President BJP Karnataka.
2. Direct that the BJP Karnataka X handle not be permitted to post for a minimum of 48 hours.
3. Direct the BJP Karnataka to immediately delete the aforementioned post on their X handle.
4. Take strict action against BJP’s star campaigner, Mr. Narendra Modi, and ban him from campaigning for 48 hours with respect to the aforementioned newspaper advertisement.
5. Direct the BJP Karnataka to issue an apology forthwith with regard to the false claims made in the newspaper advertisement on 05.05.2024. Further, direct that the apology be of the same size as the advertisement.
It is important to note that the Election Commission has promptly initiated action against the KC Rao, President of the Bharatha Rashtra Samiti (https://elections24.eci.gov.in/docs/AhtgLNsZsm.pdf ) and Congress leader Randeep Surjewala ( https://elections24.eci.gov.in/docs/U4pbNwetPL.pdf ) for similar violations. The delegation urged the Election Commission to be equally prompt and strict with the violations committed by the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party as well.
The CEO, Karnataka informed the delegation that an FIR has already been filed in the matter and the Commission was working with X to bring the video down.
Representatives from Bahutva Karnataka, All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), Campaign Against Hate Speech (CAHS), All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), Naaveddu Nilladiddare, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), were part of the delegation.
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Kerala court sentences man to life imprisonment for doc's murder in hospital
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Kollam (PTI): A teacher convicted in the sensational murder of Dr Vandana Das inside a hospital here was sentenced to life term on Saturday, and the prosecution said it will move an appeal seeking death penalty for the accused. The victim's family also batted for "maximum punishment".
Dr Das was brutally killed inside a taluk hospital in May 2023 by G Sandeep.
Kollam Additional District and Sessions judge P N Vinod sentenced Sandeep to a total of 30 years for various offences under the then Indian Penal Code (IPC) and said that after he serves that period, his life imprisonment for Das' murder will commence.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2.35 lakh on the convict.
Though the prosecution had sought death penalty for the accused during the arguments on sentence, the court was of the view that the case does not fall under the rarest-of-rare category to warrant the maximum punishment.
It was also of the view that there was a chance of the convict getting reformed as he told the court that the rest of his life would be one of repentance, the order on sentence said.
"At the same time, I agree with the stand of the prosecution to the effect that the sentence should commensurate with the gravity of the crime and the sentence should not only be reformative, but should also have a deterrent effect."
"In my view, the said objective can be achieved by directing that the term sentences that will be imposed will run consecutively and life sentence that has to be imposed will commence only after the expiration of terms sentences," the judge said.
After the verdict, special public prosecutor (SPP) Prathap G Padickal told reporters outside the court that he will recommend to the prosecution to file an appeal seeking enhancement of the life imprisonment to death penalty.
The victim's father said that the verdict has come as a relief for the family, but that he cannot authoritatively say whether his late daughter has got justice. He indicated his dissatisfaction with the punishment, saying that steps will be taken to seek its enhancement after discussions with the public prosecutor.
Dr Das' mother said that the family can only wish for the maximum punishment and it was up to the court to decide what sentence should be given. She said that the family will go in appeal, but declined to comment on whether her daughter got justice.
She tearfully said that she wants the convict to suffer the same pain that her daughter underwent "as he stabbed her 27 times".
The court on March 17 had convicted Sandeep for various offences under the IPC, including murder, destruction of evidence and wrongful restraint.
It had also held him guilty under the provisions of the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage to property) Act 2012.
Sandeep was brought to the taluk hospital by the police for medical treatment during the small hours of May 10, 2023 and he went on a sudden attacking spree using a pair of surgical scissors kept in the room where his leg injury was being dressed.
A school teacher by profession, he had initially attacked the police officers and another person who had accompanied him to the hospital and then turned on the young Dr Das, who could not escape to safety.
She was stabbed several times and later succumbed to her injuries in a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram where she was rushed following the attack.
Dr Das was a native of the Kaduthuruthy area of Kottayam district and the only child of her parents.
She was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was working at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital as part of her training.
Sandeep had called the emergency number 112, claiming that his life was in danger. When local police located him, he was standing close by his home, surrounded by local residents and his relatives, and had a wound on his leg following an alleged quarrel.
He was then taken to the hospital for dressing the wound.
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