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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Bengaluru: Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka launched a scathing attack on MLC Dr. Yathindra, demanding that he retract his controversial statement comparing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the late Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Ashoka urged Yathindra to apologize to the people of Karnataka if he had even a shred of conscience and any respect for the Mysuru royal lineage.
In a strongly worded social media post on Sunday, Ashoka stated, “Comparing Siddaramaiah to Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar is nothing short of absurd. Where is Nalwadi, who was bestowed the title of ‘Rajarshi’ by Mahatma Gandhi himself, and where is Siddaramaiah, who has stooped to being a puppet in the hands of fake Gandhis for the sake of power?”
He continued his critique by contrasting the enduring legacy of Nalwadi, remembered fondly by Kannadigas for his people-centric development, with what he termed as Siddaramaiah’s failure to manage Karnataka’s economy, burdening every household with debt.
Ashoka highlighted several stark differences, while Nalwadi built Mysore University over a century ago, Siddaramaiah is shutting down nine universities due to lack of funds. Nalwadi famously sold his family’s gold to build the KRS dam, whereas Siddaramaiah is accused of grabbing 14 sites meant for the public. Nalwadi established Bhadravati Iron & Steel Plant, Sandalwood Soap Factory, and Mysore Paper Mills. In contrast, Ashoka claimed Siddaramaiah's governance drove away industries, investors, and entrepreneurs. Nalwadi pioneered reservations for the backward classes long before it became mainstream. Siddaramaiah, Ashoka alleged, is reducing social justice to a gimmick by sticking labels on doors in the name of surveys.
While acknowledging Yathindra’s emotional attachment to his father, Ashoka emphasized that comparing Siddaramaiah to a visionary like Nalwadi was “laughable, baseless, and a gross insult” to the late king.
In his concluding remarks, Ashoka slammed the government for ignoring farmers’ needs despite an early monsoon. He accused the administration of being caught up in internal power struggles and negligence, forcing farmers into despair. “This government will not be spared from the curse of the farmers,” he warned.