FIRs have been registered against Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and Karnataka LoP and BJP leader R Ashoka on Wednesday for allegedly posting spreading false information on the clashes in the Nagamangala town of Mandya in Karnataka.
The FIR against Shobha Karandlaje claims that the Union Minister in a social media post on X, accused the Mandya Police of “arresting” a Lord Ganesh idol.
The FIR has been filed under Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS 2003) – Section 192. This section refers to wantonly giving provocation to cause riot in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS 2003).
In her defence the Union Minister says she will face the FIR but an NIA enquiry needs to be ordered into the incident at Naagamangala.
“I demand an NIA inquiry into the Nagamangala incident where banned PFI agents attacked Ganesha procession & burned around 25 shops. Locals report unfamiliar faces, raising concerns of anti-social elements from Kerala. The Karnataka govt must be held accountable for this failure. This is not just a local issue but a national security threat, with clear signs of banned group, PFI trying to spread unrest. I will not be intimidated or silenced. If an FIR is filed, I will face it . Justice must prevail, and those responsible must be brought to justice,” she posted onX.
Meanwhile in the complaint against LoP R ashoka, it is alleged that Ashoka had posted video clippings of an incident that occurred somewhere and connected it to the Nagamangala incident. The case has been filed in the Nagamangala police station.
LoP R Ashoka lashed out at Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara and said that the FIR should first be filed against Parameshwara for “giving false information” to the people and calling the incident ‘minor’ and ‘accidental’.
Terming registration of an FIR against him as a sign of “cowardice act”, Ashoka called the state government a “weak government” who, according to him, is unable to prevent “riots” in the state.
In a social media post on X, R Ashoka wrote, “Home Minister @DrParameshwara, who is supposed to find and file case against the fanatics responsible for the communal riots that took place during the Ganesha discharge in Nagamangala, as if “the one who can’t help, has escaped”, is the height of cowardice. The incompetent Home Minister @DrParameshwara himself, even though it has been a week since the incident that shook the state at Nagamangala, which is only 130 km from Bengaluru last Wednesday night, he has not visited the place and conducted an inspection. If they had gone to the scene of the incident and heard the cries, moans, anxiety and outrage of the terrified locals who had lost their property, they would have understood the seriousness of the situation. But they have no sense of duty……”
The tweet added, “Although scenes of petrol bombs being used in Nagamangala, scenes of stone pelting, and vandalism of vehicles and shops are circulating on social media and media, an FIR should first be filed against Home Minister Parameshwar for giving false information to the people that this is a ‘minor’ incident and an ‘accidental’ incident. An FIR should be filed against the police who gave wrong information to the minister. It is a sign of cowardice that a weak government that cannot prevent communal riots, a dull government that cannot stop fanatics, has filed an FIR against me.”
Taking it further, Ashoka hitting out at the government, said nobody can intimidate him through filing FIRs as he has spent time in jail for religion.
There is no question of compromise on the protection of our country, religion, protection of Hindus, Hindu festivals and festivals. I was the one who spent time in jail for religion during Emergency, Ram janmabhoomi struggle. I can’t hide my voice even if I file a hundred such FIRs. Don’t fear your big threats.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara defended the FIR’s saying, ” We are not doing hate politics. We are acting as per the law.”
Earlier on September 12, Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigate the Nagamangala incident in which a riot broke out over allegations of stone pelting at a Ganpati immersion procession in Nagamangala.
