The Karnataka High Court on Friday granted interim relief to BJP national president J.P. Nadda and the party’s national IT cell in-charge Amit Malviya concerning an FIR registered over an animated video posted on social media by the party’s Karnataka unit.
The animated video posted on X during the campaigning for the 2024 Lok Sabha election depicted the Congress as appeasing Muslims at the expense of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
“Investigation is permitted to go on in its usual course, subject to the rider that the personal presence of the petitioner shall not be insisted upon by the investigating agency,” stated Justice Krishna S Dixit, as per Live Law.
The Bengaluru Police had summoned Nadda and Malviya after a complaint was registered.
In May, an FIR was registered against Nadda, Malviya and Karnataka unit chief BY Vijayendra in connection with the social media post. The complaint was filed by Ramesh Babu, an office-bearer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
The KPCC’s complaint cited a video uploaded on the social media platform ‘X’ by the official account of Karnataka State BJP, which allegedly is operated by Malviya under the instructions of Nadda, Vijayendra, and the social media in-charge of Karnataka BJP, on May 4.
“The said video posted on social media featured animated characters of (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi and (Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah. In the clip, the SC, ST and OBC community are portrayed as “eggs” in a nest and it also suggested Rahul Gandhi planting a big egg labelled as Muslim community. It is projected as though funds are being fed to the chick depicting the Muslim community, which then kicks out SC, ST and OBC communities,” the complaint alleged.
They were booked under sections of the Representation of People Act and Section 505(2) (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred, or ill-will between classes) of the Indian Penal Code, according to a senior police officer.
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