Karnataka: Political slugfest over violent quota protest; BJP, Cong blame each other
Bengaluru/Kalaburagi (PTI): A political slugfest erupted between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday over a protest by Banjaras that turned violent at Shikaripura in Shivamogga district, with both parties holding each other responsible for it.
Four police personnel were injured in Shikaripur on Monday, when thousands of people of the Banjara community were protesting against the state government's decision on internal reservation among Scheduled Castes, turned violent.
Some window panes of former Chief Minister and Shikaripura MLA B S Yediyurappa's house, were damaged in stone pelting.
State Congress President D K Shivakumar alleged "internal conspiracy" in the BJP as the reason for stone pelting on Yediyurappa's house; while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai hit back stating that there is evidence to prove that Congress people were behind it and the violence was systematically planned.
"What is he (Shivakumar) saying? Congress is conspiring everywhere. Those who have been caught locally are all from the Congress. They are Congress leaders- what does D K Shivakumar have to say about it?" Bommai said in response to a question.
"Congress leaders have been caught on camera...the (Banjara) community people did not know anything, they (Congress) have spread false news that the community will be removed from the SC list and they were instigated. It was systematically planned after a meeting the previous night. I'm saying this with evidence," he added.
State Home Minister Araga Jananendra too alleged that some parties were trying to gain political mileage, and police are inquiring into those involved in the incident and the "politics" was behind it.
"The incident in Shikaripura is unfortunate, this has happened due to misconception by some people who were incited. one cannot expect innocent people to indulge in such acts. I have information that some people with political intention were behind the incident, inquiry is on in this regard," he said
"Those involved in four to five other cases are behind this incident...innocent people were incited....indulging in stone pelting on police, on the residence of Yediyurappa is not right. Everyone has to maintain peace," he said.
He said Yediyurappa has requested not to take action against anyone for stone pelting at his house, but added that the police were attacked; two to three of them are in hospital. "Arson was created by taking law into hands...police have brought the situation under control."
The Cabinet on Friday had recommended a 6 per cent internal quota for SC (Left), 5.5 per cent for SC (Right), 4.5 per cent for touchables (Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha, Kuruma etc) and 1 per cent for others. The recommendation will be sent to the union government.
A section of Scheduled Castes has been demanding internal reservation alleging that only a few influential sub-castes were taking away a majority of the benefits while many communities were still marginalised.
Commenting on Monday's incident in Shikaripura, Shivakumar claimed that the reason for stone pelting on Yediyurappa's house is BJP's internal politics, to finish him off politically.
"Yediyurappa is not CM, he is not part of the government. The Chief Minister (Bommai) has created a big confusion on the reservation issue. Now BJP and Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) want to bring him to the centre stage, in a way he (Shah) conceded neglecting him (Yediyurappa), so he had recently visited his house for a breakfast....there are a lot of internal things," he said.
If stones were pelted on CM's house or those in power, it is different, as it would have been seen as an expression of anger, but pelting stones on Yediyurappa's house means internal fight, Shivakumar claimed.
Also targeting the government on its decision to scrap the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota and distribute it equally among the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities, Shivakumar alleged the move was made "without a Backward Class commission report".
"We won't accept it, our government will come to power after 40 days, we will scrap it," he declared.
Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah commenting on violence and attack on Yediyurappa's house said, someone from the BJP would have done it, Yediyurappa himself has said the incident might have been the result of some misconception, and has not blamed the Congress.
Banjaras have been opposing internal reservations since the beginning, he said.
Former Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy commenting on the violence said, the BJP government created such a situation, they will have to rectify it.
Reservation should not be given for the sake of politics or vote as wrong decisions will create rift between the communities, he said, "I appreciate Muslim community, had they come to streets against the government's decision of scrapping their 4 per cent reservation under OBC list it would have worsened the situation...it is low level politics by BJP to create bloodshed in the society."
#WATCH | Shivamogga, Karnataka | Shikaripura road blocked by Banjara community opposing reservation announced by State government. pic.twitter.com/UG3eOD6koJ
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2023
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi HC asks social media influencer to remove videos with 'false' contents against Complan
New Delhi, Sep 27: The Delhi High Court has directed the taking down of an allegedly disparaging video against nutritional drink Complan saying social media influencers cannot be reckless and comment on a subject they are not the "master" of.
Justice Saurabh Banerjee observed that Prashant Desai, who has about one million followers on Instagram and over 60,000 followers on Facebook, spoke on the "chemistry" behind Complan despite being "neither a doctor nor a nutritionist nor a dietician" nor anyone connected with the health industry, when Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) guidelines require a user to possess relevant qualifications to publish a health-related post.
The court also restrained the content creator from publishing any matter which denigrates the product and asked him to remove the existing video from all his social media handles within a period of two weeks.
In the video, Desai claimed that Complan, as well as certain other similar products, contain sugar in excess of the daily requirement in children.
Zydus Wellness Products Ltd, in its lawsuit, argued that the video made false as well as unsubstantiated claims and, therefore, sought directions to restrain Desai from infringing upon its trade mark and disparaging Complan and Complan Pista Badam.
Asserting that a social media influencer is entitled to take recourse to Article 19 of the Constitution if he has acted verily, cautiously and within the permissible precincts, the court noted that in the present case, the content creator identified and directly targeted Complan and asked the public to evade it, which cannot be permitted.
The court said a social media influencer is expected not to try to play the role of a professional without any backing to substantiate what is being shared by them.
"In the present scenario, even though the defendant is neither a competitor nor a qualified Doctor/ Nutritionist/ Dietician, however, he has openly named, identified and criticised the plaintiff's product 'COMPLAN' by starting the impugned video on a purely negative note by making unsubstantive and false statements therein.
"The contents/ statements therein are not backed by any substantive basis, even when they were uploaded and even as on date, therefore, the said contents/ statements made by the defendant therein are nothing short of being false, which is writ large," said the court on September 26 in the judgment passed on Zydus' plea seeking an interim relief.
"Merely being a 'social media influencer', the defendant is not bestowed with the independence to speak and/ or comment about a subject of which he is not the master. In fact, 'social media influencer' like the defendant is always expected not to cross over and try to play the role of a professional or try to fall in/ step into the shoes of a teacher or any other professional or act like a preacher, more so without any backing to substantiate what is being talked/ shared," the court stated.
Desai said he was a well-established social media influencer who created content relating to health and lifestyle, and maintained that his video reflected the truth. There were no falsities in relation to the product of the plaintiff, he added.
Besides being a qualified chartered accountant and certified management accountant, he has also obtained several certifications from different universities on the subject of nutrition and wellness, the court was told.
The court, in the order, said Zydus was an "age old company" which was selling Complan for a long time after obtaining requisite authorisations in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and other guidelines. The defendant cannot be permitted to "identify" and unauthorisedly reproduce the plaintiff's product, it added.
"The defendant by uploading the impugned video is questioning all such authorisation(s), permission(s), approval(s), sanction(s) or like obtained by the plaintiff from the Government of India," it stated, while concluding that the video was "indeed damaging" and "malicious" .
"The defendant's unauthorised and dishonest use of the plaintiff's registered mark 'COMPLAN' in the impugned video, is/ are detrimental to, the distinctive reputation/ goodwill/ character of the plaintiff's trademark 'COMPLAN' and 'COMPLAN family marks', amounting to infringement," it stated.
The court further said the defendant ought to have been more careful while uploading the video, especially as he was naming the plaintiff's product.
"A 'Social Media Influencer' like the defendant cannot express and/or advocate his ideas/ opinions freely without any substantive basis and/ or backing and/ or is expected to be sensible, prudent, careful, cautious and pragmatic instead of being unwise and reckless, especially in today's age when media is a powerful tool having an influence over all humanity," the court said.
