Bengaluru: Former minister and KPCC president D K Shivakumar has sought action against BJP MPs Shobha Karandlaje, Anantkumar Hegde and MLAs Basana Gouda Patil Yatnal and Renukacharya for making communalising the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to Karnataka Deputy General of Police Praveen Sood, the KPCC chief highlighted communal statements made by the four BJP leaders against the Tablighis.
He urged the DGP to take suo moto cognisance of the BJP leaders’ statements and take action against them under section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
DKShi claimed that the four BJP leaders are part of a “criminal conspiracy to create enmity between Hindus and Muslims” and have been indulging in “criminal intimidation by threatening to shoot down persons belonging to a particular community”.
He wrote that their statements contained all the “ingredients to incite communal violence and disrupt harmony” and that the BJP leaders have been misusing the “killer COVID-19 pandemic” for political mileage.
It can be recalled that recently, MP Karandlaje has termed the Tablighis as “Corona Jihadists” and also falsely accused the quarantined Tablighis of misbehaving with healthcare workers in Belagavi, a claim that was debunked by the Belagavi DC.
MP Anantkumar Hegde had recently posted a communally charged write-up on Facebook, where he accused the Tablighi Jamaat of being involved in ‘various terrorist acts’ across the world. He also claimed that the Tablighis were involved in a conspiracy to spread COVID-19 in India.
BJP MLA from Davangere Renukacharya, as well as Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, had suggested that the Tablighis should be shot.
All these statements came around the time when Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had warned the people against verbaly attacking or speaking ill about the Muslim community. He had warned that action would be taken against those who are found to be speaking against the Muslims.
