High Court bars Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja from making hate speeches, repeating offences
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja not to make any further hate speeches or repeat offences under criminal sections already filed against him.
Senior advocate S. Balan, appearing for the complainant Ibrahim, urged the court to vacate the interim stay granted on FIRs registered against Poonja for his alleged inflammatory speeches targeting the Muslim community and provoking communal tensions in Dakshina Kannada district. The court heard the matter on Thursday.
Advocates representing the government and Poonja sought more time, but Balan opposed the plea, arguing that allowing the interim stay to continue would enable the MLA to repeat such actions.
Balan told the court that Poonja’s hate speeches had provoked mob violence, including a lynching in Mangaluru and three recent murders in the region. He added that interim stay orders were being misused to incite communal hatred and bypass the law.
Justice Krishna Kumar, after hearing the arguments, extended the interim stay until August 7 but imposed strict conditions. The court directed that Harish Poonja must not indulge in hate speech or repeat any criminal conduct related to the sections already invoked against him.
Poonja had previously courted controversy during a speech at the Brahmakalashotsava of Tekkaru Gopalakrishna Temple, where he allegedly said that "rowdy Muslims" should be kept away from temple events and called for Hindu unity without fostering harmony with Muslims. His remarks reportedly escalated tensions at a time when communal killings had already taken place in the region.
The MLA had moved the High Court on May 4, 2025, seeking to quash the FIR registered at Uppinangady Police Station and requested an immediate stay on the proceedings. On May 22, the High Court had granted an interim stay.
Ibrahim, represented by Balan, later filed a "vacating stay" application against the May 22 order. FIRs are currently registered against Poonja in multiple police stations in Dakshina Kannada under various sections of the IPC, including:
* Belthangady PS: Crime No. 39/2023 – IPC 153, 153A, 505(1)(c), 505(2)
* Dharmasthala PS: Crime No. 57/2024 – IPC 504, 353
* Belthangady PS: Crime No. 58/2024 – IPC 143, 147, 341, 504, 506 r/w 149
* Bajpe PS: Crime No. 239/2016 – IPC 143, 147, 290, 160, 504 r/w 149
* Bantwal PS: Crime No. 117/2017 – IPC 142, 143, 188 r/w 149
* Dharmasthala PS: Crime No. 77/2023 – IPC 143, 353, 504 r/w 149
* Belthangady PS: Crime No. 105/2023 – IPC 504, 505(2)
Despite multiple FIRs, the complainant argued that Poonja continued to engage in repeat offences, making him ineligible for further protection through interim orders.
While continuing the stay until the next hearing, the High Court laid down firm conditions, clearly stating that Harish Poonja must refrain from hate speech and any repetition of his past criminal acts.
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Xi, Trump reach series of new common understandings: China's foreign ministry
Beijing (PTI): Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world, and reached a series of new common understandings, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Friday.
Xi and Trump, who is on a three-day visit to China, met twice on Thursday and discussed a range of bilateral and global issues.
Trump is due to leave on Friday after a luncheon meeting with Xi.
Summing up the outcomes of Trump’s visit to Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the two presidents had an in-depth exchange of views on major issues concerning the two countries and the world and reached a series of new common understandings.
They agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-US relationship of strategic stability to provide strategic guidance for bilateral relations over the next three years and beyond.
The two presidents also agreed to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations, and bring more peace, prosperity and progress to the world, said a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson.
Trump visited China at the invitation of Xi.
The two presidents are meeting in person again for the first time since their Busan meeting last October, and it is the first visit to China by a US president in nine years, the statement said.
On Thursday, President Xi held a welcome ceremony and a banquet for Trump, held talks and visited the Temple of Heaven with him.
VIDEO | Beijing: On second day of bilateral talks, US President Donald Trump (@POTUS) thanks Chinese President Xi Jinping for 'incredible' China trip.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 15, 2026
Trump says, "Thank you very much. This has been an incredible visit. I think a lot of good has come of it. We've made some… pic.twitter.com/7A7lbEzLdC
