Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA of Belthangady, Harish Poonja, has been booked for allegedly delivering a provocative and communal speech targeting Muslims during a religious ceremony at the Gopalakrishna Temple in Thekkar village, Dakshina Kannada district.
The speech, delivered on Saturday night, May 3, during the Brahmakalashotsava (consecration ceremony), has since gone viral on social media, drawing widespread outrage.
BJP MLA accuses minorities of vandalism, theft
In the video, Poonja alleged the local Muslim community broke the tube lights installed for the Brahmakalashotsava ceremony and stole diesel.
“You (Hindus) are only 150 families in Thekkaru. The Muslim community has 1,200 families. In another ten years, their numbers won’t drop to 600. Instead, the number of Bearys will grow from 5,000 to 10,000. Regardless of their numbers, we must unite, rise above caste differences, and work towards the development of the temple,” he said.
Bearys are a community residing in Thekkar village of coastal Karnataka. They have a significant Muslim population, with a history spanning over 950 years.
He further questioned the residents of Thekkar village why invitations were sent to local mosques for the Brahmakalashotsava ceremony. “Why did Thekkaru villagers send temple invitations to mosques? There is no connection between them and us. It is because of these invitations that they broke the tube lights,” he claimed.
Complaint against BJP MLA
A local resident Ibrahim filed a police complaint against the BJP MLA stating that his speech was derogatory towards the Muslim community and could sow discord between religious communities in the region.
A case has been registered under sections 196 and 352(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Further investigation is ongoing.
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