#Karnataka #BJP Uttara Kannada constituency #MP #Anantkumar Hegde booked for hate speech

Hegde, who hails from the Sangh Parivar stronghold of Karnataka’s coast and is a staunch member of the RSS, told media members at his hometown Sirsi on Sunday: “Please record and telecast my words exactly as I say it. I will stand by them and not take them back. As long as Islam exists, terrorism will exist. Unless Islam is eliminated, terrorism cannot be rooted out.” He is currently in New Delhi, attending Parliament.

The Sirsi market police station suo moto registered a case under section 295(A) of the Indian Penal Code (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings) on Monday.

Uttara Kannada superintendent of police Vamshi Krishna told ET: “We have received one formal complaint and several memoranda from organisations about the comment. Our sub inspector has suo moto registered the case and we are investigating it.”

Home minister G Parameshwara expressed regret that an MP had made such a statement. The suo moto police case was reportedly taken up at his insistence, after health minister U T Khader, who is in charge of the neighbouring Dakshina Kannada district, brought Hegde’s statement to his notice.

Parameshwara said: “Such statements are against the fundamentals of the Constitution. He is well versed with the Constitution and the democratic principles. The police is looking into the concerned IPC sections. The law will take its own course on this.”

The top Muslim social organisation in the region, the Majlis-e-Islah Wa Tanzeem has demanded disciplinary action against Hegde from the BJP.

Tanzeem president Kazia Muzammil told ET: “The Prime Minister and the BJP have been saying that they represent all sections and all religions in this country. The party has to act now against Hegde, if they don’t subscribe to his views.”

Dakshina Kannada district’s youth Congress vice-president Luqmaan Bantwal has filed a police complaint in Bantwal police station seeking the arrest of Hegde. He told ET: “I am representing the party line that we are for the minorities. But I have also filed the complaint to defend my religion, which Hegde has insulted. There is nothing in Islam to incite violence and he should not have deliberately made this statement to gain public limelight at our cost.”

Karnataka legislative assembly opposition leader and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar was visibly uncomfortable when asked to comment on Hegde’s statement. “I don’t agree with the statement. But I haven’t personally verified the video. BJP state president and the high command will decide on further action,” he said. By Agencies.