K'taka HC orders stay on case against Eshwarappa for his alleged ‘we don't want Muslim votes’ remark
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Saturday issued an interim stay to the case filed against BJP Leader K.S. Eshwarappa for his alleged, ‘We don’t want Muslim votes,’ remark.
A single-judge bench of the High Court heard the petition filed by KS Eshwarappa seeking quashing of the case against him.
After listening to the arguments of the petitioner's counsel for some time, the bench granted an interim stay to the case and adjourned the hearing to December 15. Advocate M. Vinod Kumar argued for KS Eshwarappa.
Eshwarappa is said to have made the controversial statement during a meeting of the Veerashaiva Lingayat community on April 25, 2023, at the residence of former Karnataka Chief Minister Yeddyurappa in Shivamogga, held during the assembly elections. As reported by a private news agency on its social media account, Eshwarappa was quoted saying, “There are 50 to 55 thousand Muslim voters in Shivamogga. We don't want a single Muslim vote.”
Based on the news reported on social media, H. Mahesh, the flying squad team officer of Shivamogga Assembly Constituency, lodged a complaint with the Vinoba Nagar police station on May 6. The Shivamogga JMFC judge granted permission to the Vinoba Nagar police to investigate the case, simultaneously an FIR was registered on May 8. The hearing of the case was initially scheduled for December 2, but the Hight court stayed it.
The petitioner requesting for the quashing of the case, argued that the complaint was filed based on information obtained from an ‘X’ account of a private news agency, since there is no compelling evidence in the case, and investigating it would be a misuse of the law.
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Karnataka Cabinet approves internal reservation within SC quota
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has taken a key decision on internal reservation for Scheduled Castes during a special Cabinet meeting held in Bengaluru.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced at Vidhana Soudha, along with Cabinet colleagues, that the government has decided to distribute the existing 15 per cent reservation available for Scheduled Castes among different groups.
According to the decision, 5.25 per cent reservation has been allocated to the Dalit Left-Hand community, 5.25 per cent to the Right-Hand community, and 4.5 per cent to other groups within the Scheduled Castes category.
The issue of internal reservation had remained sensitive due to differences between Left-Hand and Right-Hand Scheduled Caste communities.
An earlier Cabinet meeting had been called to discuss the matter, but it was postponed in view of the by-elections in Davanagere and Bagalkot constituencies.
The Cabinet has now taken a final decision on the issue.
