K'ntaka BJP leader who called for Muslims' extermination booked
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Hindustan Times photo.
Bidar: Following the appearance of a provocative video on Facebook calling for the extermination of Muslims, Karnataka BJP leader Manikanta Narendra Rathod was booked by police. Police said that the video triggered public outrage and raised serious concerns of disturbance to communal harmony in the Kalaburagi district, Hindustan Times reported.
In the video, Rathod could be heard making severely problematic comments in Lambani language, suggesting to exterminate Muslims and calling for the killing of those accused of “Love Jihad”. He was also audacious enough to say that if the police were held back for just 15 minutes in the district, Muslims in the district could be massacred.
The video triggered severe outrage on social media, and civil society groups, political leaders, and concerned citizens demanded that Rathod be arrested immediately.
A person named Syed Aleem Ilahi lodged a complaint on Saturday, and an FIR was filed with the Central Police Station. Police informed that they were investigating the case and gathering evidence.
What should be noted is he was booked in another case last month end over derogatory remarks he made against Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge. Rathod and Kharge had contested against each other in the last state assembly elections, but the latter had defeated the former.
Police informed that a case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 196(1), (2), 197(1), (2), 299, 351(3), 353(2), and 2.2.
In another similar incident from Karnataka, an FIR was filed against RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat on Monday for allegedly making an inflammatory speech that could incite communal tension, police reported.
Bhat delivered the speech on May 12 during a condolence meeting for Hindutva activist and known rowdy-sheeter Shuhas Shetty, who was murdered in Mangaluru on May 1.
