BJP Distances Itself from Anant Kumar Hegde After MP Was Booked in ‘Hate Speech’ Case

Bengaluru: A suo motu case has been registered at Kumta Police Station and a case of hate speech and attempt to create unrest in the district has been registered against Uttara Kannada MP Anant Kumar Hegde by the Karnataka police on Sunday. The police have registered a case under sections 505 (intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community) and 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the IPC.

The case was registered after Anant Kumar Hegde's statement was broadcast in the media. He had reportedly spoken about demolishing other mosques and masjids in Karnataka, similar to that of Babri Masjid.

“Now it's turn for Chinnadpalli mosque in Bhatkal to be demolished. The media can publish this as a threat. We will demolish it and this is the decision of the Hindu community and not my individual decision. In Sirsi too there is a masjid but before it was the Vijay Vittala temple and Srirangapatna's Jamia Masjid was a Hanuman temple once and even to this date there's a Hanuman temple. Across the nation we have faced many such insults but now Rananbhairava (god of war) has risen and no one can stop him. This is revenge, a revenge that we have been waiting for 1000 years to take and if we don't take revenge that blood that runs within us is not Hindu blood,” Anant Kumar Hegde had stated.

Hegde had also allegedly spoken in a derogatory language against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. He had also reportedly said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had the curse of saints. The Uttara Kannada MP had also said that the Gandhi family died due to the curse of these saints.

BJP Distances Itself from Hegde

The BJP has made it clear that they do not endorse Anantkumar Hegde’s statement on minorities and places of worship. Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA R Ashoka, speaking to Republic, said, “The view expressed by Anantkumar Hegde is his  individual stand and as a party, we do not endorse it. The BJP wants to bring all the communities together and such a statement shouldn't have been made at this juncture. It was uncalled for. I condemn the statement made by him and it was insensitive."

BJP Cadres in Uttara Kannada Allege Foul Play

Meanwhile, the BJP cadres in Uttara Kannada have claimed Anantkumar Hegde is innocent. They have alleged that due procedures are not being followed when a people's representative has been booked. Hemant, a BJP cadre, speaking to Republic, asked, "An FIR has been filed under non-bailable sections at Kumta police station, but have the cops taken permission from the speaker of Lok Sabha to even interrogate him?”

“These policemen have lodged a complaint under the insistence of Congress leaders and workers but haven't seen anything themself or even questioned the MP before lodging an FIR. We will not let this injustice prevail in the region. I will not comment on what our leader has said,” he added.