Karnataka: Complaint against BJP leaders for posting video "intimidating" SC/STs not to vote for Congress

Karnataka Congress has filed a complaint to the Election Commission against BJP national president JP Nadda, social media in-charge Amit Malviya, and state chief BY Vijayendra for allegedly posting a video on social media aimed at "intimidating" members of Schedule Caste/ Schedule Tribe to not vote for Congress in the Lok Sabha polls.

In a complaint filed to the Chief Electoral Officer in Bengaluru, the party also alleged the violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by using animated videos of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah by portraying the Congress party as favouring a particular religion (Muslims) and suppressing members of SC/STs and OBC communities, with the intention to create feelings of enmity, hatred and ill-will against members of the SC/ST community.

Ramesh Babu, Chairman, Media and Communication of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), said in the complaint, "... the tenor of video... is in nature of intimidating persons belonging to SC/ST Community that leaders of Congress party are likely to favour Muslims at cost of SC/ST Community. Since, elections to Lok Sabha is being held on 07/05/2024 in 14 constituencies, the video post of BJP on their official social media handle is nothing but intimidating SC/ST community not to cast a vote to Congress. This is a clear case of intimidating SC/ST community members and further projecting SC/ST community people in a bad light showing them as 'Eggs' and being kicked by another religion i.e., Muslims."



The complaint,further said, "It is unfathomable as to how the State Level Media Monitoring committee approved this video to be uploaded by BJP. In the event of non-certification, why no action has been initiated for using an animated image/video of Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah and also defaming the SC/ST and OBC community people by projecting them as 'EGG.'"

The Congress in its complaint further claimed that the intent of posting video by the BJP on it's official X handle appears to be to seek votes in Lok Sabha Elections by projecting Congress party to be favouring Muslim community.

"However, the act of J.P.Nadda, National President- Bharatiya Janata Party, Amit Malviya National Social Media Incharge Bharatiya Janata Party, BY Vijayendra-State President-Karnataka BJP and Social Media incharge- Karnataka BJP is to portray the SC and ST Community in derogatory manner and the act showing SC and ST community being "kicked" by another religion (Muslim) is with an intent to prevent or intimidate a member of Schedule caste or tribe to not vote for a particular candidate attracting offense punishable under Section 3(L)(A) of SC/ST POA Act 1989. It is clear that the video on social media posted by aforesaid persons is to intimidate members of SC/ST community not to vote for Congress party by projecting that funds reserved for them will be usurped by Muslims," the complaint said.

A day before, the official X handle of BJP Karnataka had posted an animated video with the caption "Beware.. Beware.. Beware..!" in Kannada. The video showed caricatures of Rahul Gandhi and Siddaramaiah placing an egg with "Muslims" written on it in a nest along with three eggs marked as "SC, ST and OBC."

The video further showed the caricature of Rahul Gandhi feeding "funds" only to the bird that hatched out of the "Muslim" egg.